They All Lived Story 39: Rhymes and Reasons
by LadyWordsmith
Summary: Life is full of surprises, adventures, and risks. Ethan finally takes a risk, only to find his life on the line. Tore's growing pains lead to a break between Edward and his student. Will Ed lose two young men he cares for deeply?
1. Chapter 1

**May 25****th****, 1961**

Ethan Elric ignored the weary feeling in his bones as he dropped down onto his bed in his little Xing apartment. They really liked sending him out into the countryside; had for two years. He was personable, hard working, and one of their few alchemical doctors. Where he was needed he went, and without complaint. Ethan had done his best by them, and his hard work had paid off.

Doctor Ethan Elric. His training was complete, as was his time of residency here. As soon as the local school let out, he and Lia were going back to Amestris. He would finally see his family in person again! Ethan was desperately looking forward to going home, as much as he had enjoyed living here. But there was one thing he absolutely had to do first.

Reaching into his pocket, Ethan pulled out a small cloth bag and held up the tiny object he'd been keeping tucked carefully inside of it. Two delicate twists of gold, in the spaces between them alternated tiny, perfect pieces of soft green jade and fire-opals. Only the very top stone, a carefully chosen diamond, bespoke to the Western side of him what it meant. He had chosen the elements and transmuted it himself, of course.

His breath caught and Ethan turned the ring over delicately in his fingers. There was no reason in his mind to put it off any longer; no excuses, and no doubts. He had known for so long how he felt, and Lia had been so patient, so caring. After all this, they were still together. He couldn't imagine anything else now, except that he wanted the rest of it as much as she did. He wasn't going to make her wait anymore for what he had all but promised.

Ethan wasn't entirely sure how he wanted to do it. There was a dinner tonight in honor of him and the other two young doctors who had finished their residencies. He had pondered if there was a way to do it then, but he wasn't sure if such a public venue was appropriate. Or rather, he knew Lia wouldn't care one way or the other, but for such an intimate moment Ethan wasn't sure he wanted to share it with anyone else.

The click of low-heeled shoes on the tiled hallway was Ethan's only warning that someone was coming. He stuck the ring quickly back in his pocket. A moment later a beautiful smiling face appeared in the doorway, followed by the rest of Lia as she stepped inside. "You're back!"

Ethan stood, gathering Lia in his arms as she almost launched into them. This last trip had been longer than most – nearly three weeks; tough too, but he had been very much needed. There had been an outbreak of a very nasty disease that attacked the brain and spinal column and had a fairly high fatality rate. Fortunately, with the availability of alchemical doctors, that morbid number was lower than it would be otherwise. Almost everyone in the village where they had been had recovered.

When the kiss broke, Ethan held her tightly against him for another moment. "And no more long separations," he promised, smiling. "I missed you."

Lia beamed. "And I missed you. Are you all right? I heard it was a really nasty illness."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Ethan nodded, though he didn't try and deny the toughness of the mission. "We lost a few though; the worst cases; a couple of old men and… three kids."

"Oh Ethan," sympathy crossed those exquisite features. "I'm sorry."

"Me too," Ethan smiled weakly. He almost never lost patients, though he had learned young enough that sometimes people died no matter what you did. He felt a gentle sorrow, but not the overwhelming grief he knew he would feel if he lost someone close to him. "I'll be glad of a break from it though." It would take them time to get home, and getting settled into the practice with Ren meant dealing, he hoped, with a smaller number of critical patients, and with illnesses with which his studies had made him much more familiar.

"Me too," Lia smiled. "Of course, I get the summer off anyway. Oh! I got a letter from Central Schools while you were gone." From her expression it was clearly good news. "They hired me! In the fall I'll start teaching at Central High."

"Congratulations," Ethan smiled, kissing her again. "I knew you'd get the job. You're an amazing teacher."

"Well you sure spend enough time studying _me_," she met his eyes with a playful, but gently knowing expression.

"Hopefully that's one subject I'm acing," Ethan replied softly.

"Maybe," Lia said. "Pop quiz, Doctor Elric: what would be most appropriate for a school teacher to wear as your date to this dinner tonight?"

The moment was too good to pass up. Without taking his eyes from hers, holding her gaze, Ethan reached into his pocket surreptitiously and pulled out the ring, bringing it up between their faces. "How about this?"

Lia blinked, startled as she focused on the tiny band instead. Then her eyes went wide. "Oh Ethan it's beautiful! Is it…?" Her eyes darted back to his in sudden realization.

Ethan grinned as he brought his other hand back around away from her back and gathered hers in his, stepping back just enough that he could ask properly. "You've been more patient with me than I ever had any right to hope, Lia. I could never have gotten through the last few years without you there; encouraging, helping….reminding me to sleep. We've known each other forever and I know I'll never have with anyone else what I have with you, and I don't want to. I don't want either of us to have to wait anymore. I love you. Lia, please say you'll be my wife."

If Ethan had ever had any doubts that Lia would change her mind, they were laid to rest in that moment as she squealed and kissed him again, her arms going around his neck once more. When the kiss broke, she was beaming, eyes wet with tears of joy. "Of course…" she almost choked on the words, "Of course I will, Ethan."

"Thank you," Ethan whispered in her ear before they separated again. "Did I really surprise you that much?"

Lia looked a little embarrassed even as he slipped the ring onto her finger. "I know it's been all but promised for a while," she admitted. "I never doubted but… it's nice to finally be asked."

"I'm just sorry you had to wait so long." The ring looked perfect on her hand, just as he had known it would.

"I'm not," Lia surprised him. "I wanted you to be sure too. You've had so many things you wanted to accomplish, and now the things you were worried about getting the way won't. Now we're both ready." She looked down at the ring again before winking at him. "And I think I know exactly what to wear in my closet now."

"Oh really?" Ethan asked curiously.

"Oh you'll see it tonight," Lia teased. "Let's just say it's perfectly appropriate for the fiancée of a new Doctor, and it will match this perfectly."

Now she had him wondering! "Well then, I look forward to seeing it." She was his now, absolutely. No one could claim otherwise. A thrill ran through him. _Lia was his!_

**May 26****th****, 1961 **

"So how did we get invited to this party again?" Charisa asked Tore as they walked hand-in-hand down the street towards the very large house at the end of the cul-de-sac. "Or rather, how did _you_ get invited," she amended her statement. Charisa, just by virtue of her own popularity and who her father was, got invited to parties by pretty much everyone in the school, even people she barely knew. Of course, she politely declined in those instances usually.

"Me? Oh, Randy owes me for his science grade," Tore shrugged and grinned, admiring Charisa's choice of outfit for this, the first after-school party of summer vacation; a simple short violet skirt and a white tank top with a ruffled v-neckline. It was too warm for much else.

"Owe?" Charisa looked suspiciously over at him. "You didn't cheat did you?"

"Me?" Tore pretended to look offended. "Of course not; I just helped him study a few times is all." Randall Adkins was one of the wealthiest kids in Central. His lived in a large house in one of the neighborhoods that held houses nearly as immense as the Armstrong's in-town home. The one thing money didn't buy him, however, was grades. He was smart but he was, Tore had found out this term, abysmal at sciences. Tore, given all his study of alchemy, was acing those classes almost without trying.

"Well all right," Charisa smiled. "Can you blame me for asking?"

"Hey, I can get in on my own merit," Tore teased, "At least as much as you can. Well here we are." He looked up at the huge gabled building with ivy climbing the walls and the sounds of a party already under way going on around back in the gardens. A garden walkway gate was open and marked with a couple of balloons and an arrow that clearly said _party this way._

"Nice place," Charisa agreed as they went around behind. It was by far bigger than either of their own houses, even though Tore had always considered both houses fairly spacious, and also in very nice parts of town.

As they came around the corner into the garden lined with thick trees, shaped topiary, and paper colored lanterns that would surely brighten the place up when it got dark in an hour or so, Tore paused to take in the scene. The truth was, he hadn't been to a lot of school parties. Mostly cause he wasn't into the shallower end of the social scene. He hung out with his friends and they had parties from time to time. Charisa always invited him to hers – unless they were girl only – and he'd been to a few as the date of various girls.

That had been before Tore's long-term restriction, which had ended in November. Since he and Charisa had started going out a few months back, his life had been a little different. For one thing, with Charisa it was exclusive or nothing. Not that Tore was objecting! He'd wanted to go out with her for so long that he wasn't dumb enough to miss the chance. Their friendship had shifted with surprising ease into the new one, perhaps because they already knew each other so well. There was no need for flirting games, playing coy, or trying to impress each other.

Still, Tore had never seen a party like this. The Adkins' had a pool and tennis courts in the distance, and a large layered deck that led up to the back of the house, where massive double-doors were open into the house's interior.

Tables were laid out with a huge spread of snack foods in every flavor and variety. This was the first clue that it was definitely a party for teenagers. Tore knew that Randy, now a senior, had also only invited the older two classes in the school. The party itself was already in full swing. Tore was pretty sure almost the entire upcoming junior and senior classes were in attendance, as well as what looked like the entire recently graduated class.

The girls were almost entirely in short skirts and cool tops that accounted for the heat and the eyes going in their direction as they passed. Tore was pretty sure that was the point. The guys were having a blast. A few folks had apparently brought swimsuits and were diving and splashing around in the pool. A radio was blaring rocking music from somewhere near the porch, and an area in the middle had people dancing.

Inside, there were more people and it looked like that was where most of the seating was, though a bunch of tables had been set up outside for that as well.

"Talk about epic party," Tore grinned.

"Thought you'd like it, Closson," Randy grinned as he sauntered up. "Welcome to the place. Evening Charisa," his smile widened a little.

"Thanks for the invite," Charisa smiled back. "How did you ever talk your folks into letting you throw a bash this big?"

Randy shrugged casually, as if he did it every day. "Well I just asked if I could have some friends over tonight now that school was out and they said sure. They're cool like that. Besides, they're out of town this weekend. They said as long as the house was clean when they got home, I could invite over whoever I wanted."

"Lucky dog," Tore chuckled. The Elrics would never have made such an open ended offer. "So what's the highlight of the evening? Anything you'd recommend?"

"Well I gave the cook the night off," Randy looked positively smug. "But there's pizza, Xingese, just about anything else I could send someone out to pick up. You want it, we probably have it. If you're looking for a real thirst quencher though, try the coolers under the center of the chips-n-dip table." Most of the drinks were in coolers under the tables, with cups and ice available if someone didn't want to drink it out of the bottle.

"Thanks for the info," Tore replied.

Just then a couple of girls waved Randy's attention away from them, and Tore and Charisa wended their way through the crowd towards the food. It wasn't all junk; there was plenty of fruit too, especially cold melon, and even a veggie tray or two for the ones who would actually eat it. Lots of hors d'oeuvres. Friends called, waved in their direction, and interrupted their wending several times. It took almost half an hour to get to the table, though Tore was highly enjoying himself.

"What would you like to drink?" Tore asked as he reached under and opened a cooler.

"Grape soda please," Charisa said.

Tore rooted around and found one. "Here you go," he passed it up. Then he grabbed what looked like a cream soda and pulled it out too. The moment he did though, he realized it wasn't. _So that's what Randy meant._

"What is it?" Charisa asked when he stopped moving.

Tore hesitated a moment longer, then stood, turned, and showed Charisa the bottle.

Her eyes widened a little. "How'd he get a hold of that?" They both knew you had to be eighteen to buy anything alcoholic in Amestris.

"There's plenty of adults here," Tore pointed out with a shrug. "I'll bet the graduates brought it. They can have it after all."

"True," Charisa sighed. "Still. Put it back, Tore."

Somehow he had known she was going to say that. "I don't think so," Tore replied easily. "I've heard this brand's good."

"Terrence Closson," Charisa hissed. "Do you want to get in trouble?"

"With whom?" Tore asked glancing around. Now that he knew what to look for, he wasn't the only one in the place who had figured out that some of the coolers held more than soda and fruit juice. "No one here's going to tell. Randy's folks and cook aren't home. Besides, my uncle used to let me have tastes when he'd watch me when I was a kid."

"That doesn't make it all right," Charisa replied pointedly.

"No, but it means I already know what the stuff is," Tore said calmly. "Look, it's just a beer. My uncle was an idiot and a lush. I'm not stupid." He uncle had been worse than that, but long and short, it wasn't the first time Tore'd had a drink. He wasn't afraid of the stuff, but he had no intention of downing it carelessly either. "Or are you going to tell?" He hadn't thought of that.

Charisa looked momentarily torn, then sighed. "I should," she replied. "But I guess if nothing comes of it than there's no real reason to make a fuss. But if you do something stupid you better believe I'll tell the Elrics everything."

"You wouldn't be you if you didn't," Tore grinned, relaxing. Charisa was pretty strict on right and wrong and rules, but she could loosen up from time to time. "I take it you don't want a taste then?"

"No!" Charisa replied vehemently. Tore decided it was best to drop the subject.

"All right. Hey, you want to dance?" He looked out at the group of guys and girls in the center of everything.

Charisa looked over at them and smiled. "Sure, it looks like fun."

Setting the bottle down unopened, Tore took her hand and they headed out onto the dance floor as another fast number picked up. One thing Tore had to admit about all the physical activity involved in learning alchemy Fullmetal's way; it made dancing pretty easy in comparison! He and Charisa stayed out on the dance floor for nearly an hour. The sun set and the brightly colored lanterns around the place began to glow.

Finally they took a break. "I'll be right back," Charisa promised as they reached the edge of the dance floor.

"Where are you going?" Tore asked.

"The girl's room, nosy," Charisa smiled then ducked through the crowd, appearing briefly once more as she climbed the stairs to the house.

Left to his own devices and thirsty, Tore headed back towards the food tables. The bottle he'd left unopened was long gone, so he fished around in the coolers for another one. He popped open the lid and took a small swig. It wasn't a cheap beer and, he found, it was as good as he'd heard; at least, if you liked beer. Tore nursed it down while he listened to some of the recent grads recounting the harrowing tale of the prank they had pulled on the track and field coach during the last meet of the year.

Half an hour later he dropped the bottle into a trash can and turned around to see Charisa coming back out. "That took you a while," he commented.

Charisa smirked. "Line for the ladies, as usual. By the way, I'd avoid the punch bowl. Lainie Johnson says she saw Ted Yellers spike it with something earlier."

So it was what Tore had always heard a _typical_ parent-free high school party would be like; or a college party. He chuckled. "You want another grape soda then?"

Charisa nodded. "Thanks."

Tore couldn't remember having a better time at a big social event. The jealous glares of the other guys as they watched him with Charisa were worth it! Even with the guys he normally didn't get along with, he could smile in their faces, knowing they were fuming inside. Still, Tore did his best to avoid anything that might turn into a scuffle. Most of them seemed to remember at the last minute that Tore had a lot of martial arts training they didn't. It didn't matter that he was still shorter than most of them. He wasn't as short as he used to be, and he was more muscular too.

Perhaps the jealousy wasn't all because he was actually dating Charisa now. Whatever it was, Tore enjoyed mingling with their friends, hanging out, snacking, dancing some more. He kept an eye on the time though; he'd sworn to Fullmetal and General Breda that he'd have Charisa home and be back by midnight.

The party got wilder as the night wore on. Some kids vacated and went home earlier, as curfews or boredom dictated, though Tore found the ones who stayed were more often ones he liked hanging out with.

Later, as he came out of the bathroom himself, he noticed another amusing trend. An awful lot of couples had drifted inside, where there was comfortable furniture and quiet corners that seemed made for making out. If they were doing more anywhere…he wasn't sure he wanted to know. Though it didn't look like a bad idea! He went back outside, picked up a drink, and went to hunt down Charisa again.

"Hey beautiful," he snagged her hand when he found her, caught up conversation with a few of her friends.

"You're back," Charisa smiled.

"No line for the men's," Tore teased, kissing her. "You want to… sneak off?" The idea of a little private time alone seemed better all the time.

"I'd like that," Charisa smiled, following him away. It didn't take long to get back into the house and find a quiet spot downstairs where there weren't too many folks in the way. "It was getting pretty raucous out there," she smiled at him. "It's quieter in here."

"It is," Tore agreed, pulling her in gently. She seemed to get the message, and kissed him back willingly, wrapping her arms around his neck. Tore pulled her close against him and leaned back to brace himself against the wall –

- And missed! With a startled laugh, he fell backwards into an open closet, landing on a couple of old winter coats that cushioned their fall.

"Well that was interesting," Charisa giggled, lying on top of his chest, her red hair falling around her face and tickling his neck.

"It was," Tore laughed, pulling her down against him. "But I kinda like the result."

"You would," Charisa rolled her eyes, but a moment later they were kissing again, and Tore's hands were under her shirt, pressed against the supple, firm flesh of her sides, and for a while he could think of nothing consequential. He knew better than to push too far, but as long as he didn't do anything she had forbidden, there was still a lot of fun to be had.

Tore completely lost track of time. It had only been about nine when they ducked inside, but distracted as he was, he wasn't sure when he first registered that the sounds upstairs had gotten even louder. "Must be some party," he chuckled around a kiss at one point.

"Sounds like it might be a fight," Charisa replied, pausing to listen. "You think?" Something slammed upstairs then the noise went back to its regular level.

"It's over if it was," Tore shrugged, irritated by the distractions. He tugged the closet door closed with his foot. "Don't worry about it."

Perhaps if he'd been less interested in the immediacy of the moment, Tore would have thought it suspicious when there was a shout upstairs, and the sounds of feet running, and then solid footsteps and other barked statements. But sound was muffled and he was enjoying himself. Apparently Charisa was as well, because the first clue either of them had of danger was when a there was a sharp rap on the door of the closet and a "Come on out of there."

Charisa sat up with a gasp.

Tore looked up as the door opened and he saw a Central Police Officer glaring down at them. "O-officer…"

"Party's over kids," he frowned. "Get up and let's see some ID."

ID…. Maybe that had really been a fight they heard earlier? Tore couldn't imagine why the Central police had been called, but he knew one thing, a lot of kids were in real trouble! He stood up and helped Charisa to her feet. He pulled his wallet out and handed over his school identification as Charisa did the same.

The officer took them both and his eyebrows rose a little as he looked at Charisa's. Tore's got no unusual looks, though given Tore's last name wasn't Fullmetal's he wasn't surprised. "Well Miss Breda, I suggest you both come upstairs with the rest of the lot." He looked uncomfortable, then he sniffed the closet. "Have you been drinking?"

"No officer!" Charisa looked scandalized, "Of course not."

He leaned in and sniffed her breath. Satisfied, he nodded. "You may go upstairs. We've got a few cars on scene and will be giving anyone who can't get a ride home from their parents a lift ourselves."

Before Tore could move he leaned over and sniffed Tore's breath. Silently cursing, Tore wondered if he'd spilled any either. He wasn't drunk; far from it. But the cop was still frowning. "Come on, Mr. Closson. I'd like to get this over with. Talk about a bust. We got called in on a noise complaint."

A noise complaint! They were getting busted because of the noise? This wasn't fair! Still, Tore followed the officer upstairs, Charisa meekly between them.

Upstairs about a hundred teenagers were still milling about. Tore noticed that a lot of the graduates had managed to split. _Probably gone to the bars or home to screw their girlfriends in private,_ he thought unkindly as he waited with the others. He frantically wondered what he'd tell Fullmetal when they made him call the house.

Tore realized too soon that he was out of luck. Charisa dialed her home number, and as soon as it started ringing the police officer – his badge read Jenkins – took it out of her hand. "Good evening. Is this General Breda? This is Officer Jenkins." There was a pause and Tore could not hear what was said on the other side. "I'm at 505 Elm Lane, Sir, investigating a noise complaint which turned out to be a party at which your daughter is in attendance this evening." It only got worse from there. Tore knew Breda would want a full understanding of the situation and by the time Jenkins got off the phone Breda knew exactly why the party was being busted instead of given a warning to quiet down. Everything, including finding Charisa in the closet with him! Charisa looked mortified as she was led outside to wait for her father's car.

Tore's stomach continued to sink into the vicinity of his shoe soles as the Officer handed him the phone next. Several other kids had obviously already done so, and several more were waiting around. Tore thought wildly for a moment of dialing another number, but he knew there was no getting out of this. He dialed the Elrics' number, and waited.

"Good evening. Is this the Closson residence?" Officer Jenkins' face went slightly pale as Tore knew that mistake was being corrected on the phone. "I'm sorry Fullmetal, Sir. Does a Terrence Closson live with you?"

This was it. He was dead. Tore felt resentment bubbling inside. He hadn't started any fights. He hadn't gotten drunk. He hadn't violated Charisa in any way. He tried to keep his cool as the Officer explained the situation then hung up the phone. "You can wait with me." He handed the phone off to the next officer with a group of upset and worried looking teenagers and led Tore outside.

Tore sat down on the front step, a few feet from Charisa, though he felt like they might as well be miles apart. He didn't dare say anything with Central police all over the place.

Charisa's father arrived first. The General, still an imposing figure, got out of the car and came right up to the steps. "Thanks for the call, Jenkins," he spoke to Jenkins first, without looking at either of them. "You said there are no adults on the premises?"

"None other than those we've identified as recent high school graduates, Sir," the officer replied, saluting smartly. All of Central police were military police, Tore remembered. That wasn't good either. "We found alcohol on the premises, Sir: several cases worth of beer, and there's definitely Drachman vodka in the punch bowl. There were also a few students in possession of opiates and cannabis. It seems there was an argument that got out of hand. That's when we got called in. The fight was over when we got here though."

They'd busted some of the kids with drugs? Shit! Tore kept his mouth shut and his eyes averted from the conversation.

"I see," was Breda's reply. "Let's go home, Charisa."

Tore looked up as Charisa stood, smoothed her skirt, and followed without looking at him. General Breda did however; a smoldering look that told Tore rather plainly that the General was not happy with either of them.

Ten minutes later Fullmetal pulled up. He didn't bother to get out. He rolled down the window and motioned him over. Tore stood and, with the officer following, walked down to the car, opened the front door, and sat down. Fullmetal had a couple of quiet words with the officer, and then he pulled away, heading towards the house.

Tore didn't dare speak, almost afraid to break the silence. He knew, when it did, that his Teacher was going to explode. The tightness around Edward's eyes and mouth made that clear. If he'd been angry about Tore's going out with a lot of girls before, he was probably about to go apoplectic.

* * *

Edward managed to keep his temper reigned in until they got back to the house. He had been stunned, honestly stunned, to get a phone call from the police saying Tore had been caught smelling like beer at a party. Being in a closet with Charisa wasn't much of a surprise at all honestly. The worst part had been the call about a minute after he hung up the phone, from _Breda_, wanting to know if Edward knew about the whole mess. He hadn't heard Breda that angry in a long time. "Can't you at least pretend you have a shred of common sense?" They were the first words to come out of his mouth as he closed the door behind them.

Tore glowered at him. "Are you even going to let me tell my side of the story before you convict me and lock me up again?"

"I'd love to hear it," Ed turned around to face him squarely, arms crossed. "Did you know Randy's folks were out of town? Did you know there was alcohol at the party?"

"Not until after we got there," Tore responded, looking offended. Well, let him.

"And you _stayed_?"

"Well it wasn't like I was planning on getting myself potentially arrested!" Tore retorted.

"You were in a closet with Charisa Breda." Edward pointed out. Did the kid have no idea how that looked?

Tore's face had gone red, his fists clenched. "I was kissing my girlfriend! We fell into the stupid closet on accident!"

"That sounds a _whole_ lot better," Ed snorted. "You're lucky you were both dressed."

"Or what?" Tore asked snidely.

"Breda called as soon as the cops did," Ed went ahead and informed him. "I think he'd like to take a piece out of your hide at the moment."

"We didn't do anything!"

"But the two of you and one cop are the only people who know that." He had to keep calm a little or this was going to be a row they didn't need to have. He pushed on with the rest of the questions that were nagging him. "I'll assume you didn't know about the drugs."

"Didn't even see anyone with them," Tore confirmed, slightly mollified. "Missed the fight too."

"The closet, I know," Ed finished. "Officer Jenkins said you'd been drinking." Much as Ed wanted to hit himself for the uptight ass of an adult he sounded at the moment – he sure would have as a teen himself – that bothered him the most.

Tore didn't even try to deny it. "I had a couple of beers the whole night," he came right out and said it. "So what? I didn't get drunk. I'm not stupid."

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in?" Ed felt his nerves slipping again. The edge of his voice hardened. "It doesn't matter what you think, Tore. There are laws about it in Amestris and you just broke them."

"You're over-reacting," Tore shrugged, slumping backwards against the wall and stair banister. "Just because you can't handle your liquor I -"

"That's not the point!" He hadn't meant to start shouting again, but the kid had gone too far! "You broke the law! This isn't about getting caught. This isn't about what you think you can handle. This isn't about me. It's about doing something stupid. You should have left the party the minute you found out what was going on."

"And what?" Tore snorted. "Ratted out my friends? Like you haven't broken rules and laws; loads of them! Why the hell should I listen to you now?"

"For just that reason," Ed replied, crossing the space between them. "I did all sorts of reckless things as a kid. Yeah, I broke some of the biggest laws there are; laws of nature as much as Amestris'. You don't think I don't know how lucky I was to end up in the military instead of prison? But it all comes around in the end. There's always -"

"Equivalency right?" Tore waved one hand dismissively. "Yeah yeah. You've done that talk to death."

"Well you obviously haven't been listening to much I've said, or you'd be smart enough to know when to leave a potentially hostile situation!"

Tore actually laughed. Laughed! Sarcastically, but still. "Shut up, old man. You're not my father."

"No, I'm your teacher—"

"Yeah well who says I need you to teach me anymore?" Tore asked, staring him straight in the face. In that moment, Ed realized they were almost exactly the same height. The kid wasn't the shrimp he'd been when Ed had found him on the street. He'd seen this face before too…on that angry kid. Obviously a lot had changed, but some things were quite the same.

"You don't want my instruction, than fine!" Ed shrugged. "There, done. You don't have to train with me anymore. Happy?"

Tore didn't move. "I'm not afraid of you, Ed. I'm not intimidated by you and I don't give a damn that everyone else is!"

"Did I say you were?" Ed let Tore take the conversation there. "If you're not, why bring it up?"

"Because it bears saying!" Tore screamed, losing it completely. "You're a sarcastic, know-it-all, pushy, over-bearing _ass hole_! Everyone thinks you're something frickin' special because of things you've done and they don't give a shit that you've run roughshod all over the law to do them! Then you stand there, like some smug _bastion of knowledge_ and expect me to take that crap like everyone who goes through your little Elric-fan-club State Alchemy Program!"

"Now that's enough!" Ed bellowed, his hand out and socking the kid in the jaw fast before he even realized he'd reacted. He was momentarily shocked; despite Izumi's training, Ed had never been as flash-fire violent with his students. He might drill them mercilessly, but he'd always given them warning first.

Tore, to his credit, almost dodged the blow, but slammed into the wall and couldn't quite get away. "Oh yeah! Beat me up over it! That'll teach me to mind won't it? I told you, Ed, _you don't scare me_! You don't impress me! Now _get the hell out of my face!" _He bolted, and darted up the stairs, feet pounding.

Ed stood in the entry way, panting, trying vainly to get a hold of his temper. _Stupid kid. Stupid, ignorant… Stubborn…. _

"Edward!" Winry appeared at the top of the stairs in her bathrobe, hair up in a towel. She'd been just getting into the bath when Ed had left. "What's going on?"

That took the worst of it out of him. Ed sighed. "We were discussing Tore's little misadventure this evening, that's all."

"Discussing it loud enough I'm surprised _we_ haven't had a noise complaint," Winry frowned slightly in concern. "What happened?"

Ed stalked into the living room as Winry came downstairs. "Not only was he caught in a closet with Charisa," he explained in brief, "he was one of the underage kids drinking at the party. He admitted it; wasn't upset about it at all." The whole mess was giving him a headache.

"Did you ground him again?" Winry asked.

"We never got that far," Ed admitted. "The argument's not over yet I don't think." Still, he had to get a hold of himself first. If they kid cooled down, maybe they could still talk this over reasonably. It always happened eventually.

"Calm down." Winry hands rested lightly on his back on the shoulder blades. "You're trembling, Ed."

She was right, he realized. His whole body was shaking from the tension and fury he was trying to get rid of. Ed closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly, trying to think of one of the reflective relaxation techniques Old Bao had taught him in Xing. "Sorry."

"You don't need to apologize to me," Winry replied. "But you're going to have to find a way to make peace with Tore."

"I know," Ed sighed. "He's just so hard to understand lately. Though he's been so much better since November I figured this kind of thing was done."

"Would a cup of tea help?" Winry offered.

"Tore doesn't seem to like tea," Ed pointed out.

"I meant for you," Winry chuckled, moving towards the kitchen. "I'm not happy either, Ed, but exploding never seems to solve anything in this house."

Well that was the truth. Ed started to follow her into the kitchen when he heard a door slam upstairs and feet in the hallway. So Tore was coming back down already? Ed turned around and balked as the kid came down the stairs with his jacket slung over one shoulder and his school bag over the other. "Where do you think you're going?"

Tore didn't stop moving as he vanished in the hall. Ed reached the corner as he heard the door open. "You said I'm not your student anymore right?" Tore paused in the open door way. "Great! That means I don't have to take your shit. I'm gone!" He slammed the door without waiting for a response.

_He…what?_ Ed shook himself, unfreezing, and ran for the door and ripped it open, but Tore must have started running, because he was already out of sight. "Damn it, kid!" After another moment of indecision, Ed closed the door. He was shaking again.

Winry caught up with him a second later. He heard her slippered feet on the wood. "Ed?"

He swallowed an odd lump in his throat. "I'm scared for him, Winry. I just don't want to see him screw his life up over something so stupid."

"So aren't you going to go after him," Winry asked?

Ed shook his head. "No. He'll cool off. He'll probably bunk in at a friend's house and come back in the morning… if the police don't pick him up for loitering." But given how good he'd been at hiding out in the streets as a kid, Ed suspected that wouldn't happen. "I just really figured his days of running off were over." Tomorrow. If Tore wasn't back tomorrow Ed would start calling around and find him. Right now he was pretty sure any further confrontations would only make the situation worse. "I'll…I'll have that tea now."

It was going to be a long night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Still May 27****th****, 1961 **

Tore had no clear idea of where his feet were taking him until he was half way to Charisa's house. That was no short trek on foot. The only thing clear in his head was his immediate plan, formulated in the couple of minutes it had taken to stuff his bag with anything he thought he might need; his Basics of Alchemy text, chalk for circles, shirts, pants, underwear, socks, his comb and other basic toiletries, and the pictures of people he cared about. Almost nothing else had seemed important. Rap had stared at him –affronted and tail twitching– as he stuffed things in the bag. He felt guilty leaving the cat behind, but he couldn't take him where he was going.

Probably because Tore didn't really know where he was going; just that he needed out; he needed to be his own master for a while. That was the thought that held him as he kept going towards the Bredas' first. He had to be his own master, but there was something else he wanted too.

It was almost midnight by the time he arrived at the Bredas' house. Tore stared at the front door for only a moment before slinking into the bushes and around the side of the house to where Charisa's balcony was. He hoped she wasn't asleep yet, or at least that he wouldn't wake the General trying to wake her! They had to talk, and this was his only chance.

He was in luck. The balcony door was open and Charisa, in a long pale-blue nightgown and white sheer house-robe that blew in the breeze, was leaning against the railing, looking utterly dejected. The expression on her face made his heart cry out.

Tore made his way under the balcony before he dared to speak softly. "Hey, gorgeous."

Charisa jumped, eyes going wide as she spun around and looked into the house before realizing the sound came from somewhere else. She looked down, and seemed to spot him in the dim light coming from the lamp in her room and the stars above. Her reply was a frantic whisper. "Tore? What are you doing here? If Dad finds you he'll freak!"

Tore shrugged. "I'm skipping town for a bit. Gonna see the world and put these skills of mine to work." If other people could make it out there on their own as mere kids, Tore was sure he could too.

Charisa's reaction was not the one he had hoped for. "You're leaving? Terrence Closson have you gone completely mental?" She scowled.

Tore had really wanted a more positive response. "What? It'll be an adventure. Come with me! Who cares what they think here. There are so many other opportunities out there. We can go together." He wanted her with him! Leaving without Charisa was the one critical thing he didn't want to have to do.

"What about school?"

A cold dose of reality in those words. Tore shrugged. "I'm already an alchemist and that's what I want to do with my life. I'm going to go_ do_ it instead of wasting time sitting around reading about the world."

Charisa shook her head sadly. "What about your family?"

Tore snorted. "What family? Mine's dead remember? The Elrics are okay, but it's not the same thing, Charisa; you know that."

Silence stretched out between them. Charisa's expression was hard to read in the dark, but he thought she looked disappointed. "I'm sorry you feel that way," she whispered.

His heart was somewhere in his throat, or down near his knees. Tore couldn't tell. "So… you're not coming, are you?"

Charisa shook her head firmly. "No! Of course not. I have things I want to do with my life too, and they don't involve running away because I'm embarrassed over a mistake."

His anger, so recently dragged back under control, flared again. "So I'm a mistake now? Is that it?" Of course! She could have anyone she wanted. One bad night and it was over.

Charisa's eyes widened. "I didn't say that!"

He'd had enough. "Didn't you? You don't want your Dad catching us talking, and even if your folks might have liked me all right before, you really think they'll accept some soldier's bastard orphaned son as good enough for you?"

"Why do you have to talk in terms of absolutes? There are other options you know." Charisa was obviously upset, but Tore knew what she was trying to do was just talk him into staying, into being _a good boy_.

"Well mine are getting pretty slim," Tore replied bitterly. "I'm sorry, Risa. I just have to get out of here for a while and make my own way… Take care of yourself okay?"

Even as he turned and slipped away through the bushes back out to the street, Tore hoped to hear something from her. His heart was breaking and his eyes felt oddly hot. Charisa changing her mind, saying she'd come along…something. He needed to hear it. All he heard just before he got out of earshot was a very soft, "Goodbye, Terrence."

Tore hurried back out onto the street, vision blurring. _Something in my eye. That's all. I thought she cared, damn it! _He set his feet towards the North gates of the city and started walking. He didn't have enough money for a train ticket, but that wasn't the point. He'd do it on his own, and that meant walking the world, learning it, knowing and helping people.

Somewhere out there, maybe he'd figure out what it was he was missing that everyone else seemed to get. Maybe they'd figure out just what they'd missed out on letting him go. _Goodbye Charisa. Goodbye Elrics. Goodbye Central. See you someday… maybe._

**May 28****th****, 1961**

A summer's dawn had never looked so cold. Edward sat on the couch, staring out the windows at the back yard. Bloodshot eyes stared blankly, his ears alert for the sound of anyone outside, feet on the steps, hands on the door. Nothing came. One long sleepless night yielded nothing. Ed had skipped from tea straight to coffee after the first cup; waiting, hoping for a sound, a call, anything.

He jumped at the first sound of footsteps, but it was Winry coming down the stairs, Dara and Pir on her heels. Bounce, poor old dog, had passed away a couple of months back. Winry came straight to him. "Nothing?"

Ed shook his head. "Not a word. As soon as it's a little later I'm going to call anywhere he might have gone." He had ruled out a couple of places. He was sure if Tore had gone to Al's, Sara's, Alyse's, Will's, or even the Mustangs' or Bredas' homes, they would have called him. Which meant it might be another friend of Tore's, or he might have found someplace to just lie low.

Winry nodded. "I'll start breakfast."

"I'm not really hungry," Ed replied half-heartedly as he stood up.

"You'll eat anyway," Winry replied matter-of-factly. "It's going to be a busy day."

She was right, of course. Edward managed to force down good helpings of everything she made, and then he started making phone calls. No one had any idea where Tore could have gone. None of his friends' parents had seen him, though several of them had solidly grounded children! Finally, Ed started calling family members and close family friends hoping that maybe Tore had gone there after all and for some reason he hadn't gotten a call yet. Maybe Tore had told them Ed knew where he'd gone?

But no one had seen him. Alphonse, Sara, and most everyone else promised to keep an eye out, and a couple of them headed out to search the city at once. By then it was noon. The Mustangs hadn't seen him either. Finally, Ed picked up the phone one last time and dialed Breda's number. Maybe, just maybe….

"Hello?" Breda sounded grouchy this morning.

_Great._ "Hey, Breda," Ed said into the phone.

"Oh, hi Ed." Breda sounded resigned more than anything else. "Do I want to know why you're calling here on a Sunday?" He obviously wasn't expecting a social call after last night's escapade.

"Yeah," Ed sighed. "I was wondering if Tore had shown up at your place anytime last night or today."

There was a long pause. "I haven't seen him," Breda replied shortly. "He's run off?"

"Yes, he has," Ed replied, his frayed temper making him snippy. "He wasn't here ten minutes before he was gone last night. I was hoping maybe he'd gone by your place to try and talk to Charisa or something."

"Charisa hasn't been out of the house," Breda replied irritably. "She was in her room all night. Unless that boy of yours has learned to climb like a spider I doubt he's seen her. Besides, she'd have told me if he did."

"You so sure of that?" Ed asked. He disliked the implications in Breda's tone. It wasn't Ed's fault his student was a hormone ravaged, rash teenager.

"Yes," Breda blustered. "Look, if that kid shows his face around here you know you'll be the first person I call all right."

"Sure thing," Ed sighed. He didn't really blame Breda for being angry. Ed would have been just as mad if Sara, Aldon, or Ethan had ever been in the same situation; especially Sara. But then, he'd understood his own kids a lot better. "Thanks, Breda."

When he hung up the phone, there was a strong feeling of being utterly at a loss. Shaking himself, Ed headed for the door. "I'll be back later," he called to Winry as he headed out. If nothing else, he could pound the pavement a little himself. There were a few places he might be able to find Tore where others wouldn't think to look.

* * *

Charisa had retreated back to her room after breakfast. Her brother's attempts to strike up casual conversation had only made the embarrassment and pain of the night before unbearable. There was little to be done about it now though, and in her heart, she knew she deserved to be grounded. She had known it could be trouble the moment Tore found the beers in the cooler. She'd told him he shouldn't have any. She'd refused them herself. When he'd put the first bottle down, she'd really hoped that was the end of it. But they had stayed. She'd been talking with friends, enjoying herself, enjoying time with her closest friend. It was hardly the first time she'd snuggled up and kissed Tore someplace private. They never went any further. Neither was going to push that boundary. But her instincts had told her they should have just left, and she had ignored them. Her common sense had been pushed back for once, and now it had gotten her in real trouble.

Though apparently nothing like what Tore was in. Charisa had barely slept that night, hoping that Tore had gone home. He couldn't have meant it about leaving Central! He was angry. His temper always ran hot and cooled later. Surely he hadn't gone through with it. But Charisa could not call the Elrics to find out. She didn't have phone privileges or anything else for a month.

Charisa spent most of the day moping about her room. Being summer and a weekend, there was nothing much to do. Books weren't holding her attention, she couldn't go outside and practice throwing her softball, nor did she want to. Even the radio was banned for now. Bored and oddly irritable – about that time of the month she supposed – she lay on her bed in green cotton pants and a plain white t-shirt, staring up at the ceiling.

The clock on the wall read two o'clock when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Charisa called without moving.

The door opened and her mother came in with a plate and a glass, which seemed to hold a sandwich and grape juice respectively. "I thought you might want lunch up here," she offered simply, putting them both down on Charisa's desk. She didn't leave immediately though. "Are you all right, sweetie?"

Her mother's concerned look was enough to make Charisa want to sit up and talk. Her father had been growling around the house like an early-woken hibernating bear all day. Nancy Breda had, at least, been understanding even if she did agree that such a misjudgment required some disciplinary action. "No," Charisa sighed. "I… I'm sorry, Mom." It was the fifth or sixth time she'd said as much, but she wondered if it would ever be enough.

Her mother sighed, smiled slightly, and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Your father won't snarl forever and the family name isn't going to suffer and fall into disdain because of one little incident, Charisa."

That… was good to hear. Charisa nodded. "I guess I knew that but… I don't even know how it happened anymore. I mean, I didn't do anything I haven't done before, nor anything I should really regret as far as my own actions go. It's the one thing I didn't do that I feel guilty about."

"So next time you'll know," her mother replied. "We all have to learn things the hard way every once in a while. It keeps life in perspective."

"I wish more of us would learn perspective," Charisa couldn't help grumbling. "I really thought Tore was more reasonable than…." Her throat constricted and she couldn't finish the thought.

"Sometimes guys are irrational or careless," Nancy went on soothingly. "Is there anything we don't know about?"

Charisa knew what her mother meant; something she hadn't told them about last night. She shook her head. "No, not about the party," she replied after a moment. "It was just like I told you, nothing more. Why?"

After a moment of deliberation, her mother nodded. "Because Edward Elric called a little while ago saying Tore left home last night and no one's seen him since. He wanted to know if he'd come here."

Charisa stopped in the act of reaching for the glass of juice. "He didn't go home?"

There was a knowing look in her mother's eyes. "So he _did _come by last night?"  
Charisa felt her eyes fill with tears. _He didn't go back. He really did it. He left!_ Despite her pleading, her warnings, trying to make him understand, Tore had just up and left. She nodded, and the tears spilled from her eyes. "I… I need to talk to Mr. Elric."

* * *

"What do you mean Tore said he was leaving town?" Edward stared at the phone receiver in his hands as if it had turned into a serpent.

On the other end of the line, a teary Charisa Breda was explaining to him – and likely her parents he was sure – how Tore had shown up under her window last night at midnight saying he was skipping town, going off to find his way in the world as an alchemist, and begged her to come with him.

"Just what I said," Charisa replied forlornly. "I thought he was just angry. He's so temperamental. I thought he'd at least give it more thought but… I think he left last night. He wasn't happy when he left."

"As if you'd have gone with him," Ed heard Breda scoff in the background.

"I tried to talk him out of it!" Charisa repeated her earlier statement. "I swear I did, Mr. Elric. I thought when I wouldn't go that he'd change his mind and stay but, if he didn't come home and…are you sure you can't find him anywhere? Did you try downtown? The park? The school?"

"All those places," Ed replied. People were looking everywhere. He hadn't called the police in on it yet by filing missing persons. There were good reasons too. Once he did that, there was every reason for them to decide that Tore no longer needed to live with Ed and Winry. Not that they would blame the Elrics, but because it would just be another mark on Tore's spotty history. They had facilities for dealing with older kids no one could control. They weren't bad places, but it wasn't the kind of place Tore would do well in, or that he belonged in. It was more of a state funded military school. Ed just couldn't see Tore dealing well with that. He didn't want the kid in more trouble than he was already in either. What was he thinking running off and leaving Central? Other than Resembool it was the only place the kid was even remotely familiar with! "Thanks for the information, Charisa. At least now we know we need to start looking further afield. Look…I'll call the house when we find him." He knew Breda was already making one exception to the terms of Charisa's grounding by having her use the phone to call him in the first place.

"Thank you, Sir," Charisa replied before she hung up.

Ed turned to Winry as he hung up his end of the phone. "You heard?"

"Everything," Winry replied, looking as tired and worried now as Ed felt. He had only just gotten home when the phone had rung. "Which way do you think he went?"

"I don't know," Ed shrugged. "South maybe? East? He's been that way before. Maybe he headed toward Resembool. He knows the train route." It would be faster to cut across country, but Ed couldn't see Tore managing well at that. Hopefully the kid remembered his own limits and lack of experience at roughing it. "It's something to try anyway."

Winry nodded. "We should call the train station and see if he bought a ticket to anywhere."

"We should also see if he took any money out of his account at the bank," Ed nodded, picking up the phone again. "That would tell us how far he could get before he goes broke. If he thought to take any at all." If he hadn't, that lack of foresight might be a blessing. Or, at least, he would know that Tore could not have left town for real until after the bank opened this morning.

Trying to feel hopeful, Edward started the next part of the search.

* * *

Somehow walking through the dark hadn't been nearly as scary following the train tracks and main road out of Central as Tore had expected it to be. Whether it was because he wasn't in the woods, or because he was out there of his own free will, the night had not seemed as terrifying as his experience at wilderness survival. Tore had stopped when he found a farm with some freshly mown and bundled giant haystacks. He'd burrowed into one and slept, warm and feeling relatively safe, until dawn woke him. They he had continued on in the light of bright morning.

The day had been utterly uneventful. He'd walked along, passed by a couple of trains and a car or two. He drew some interesting looks, but no one stopped. He kept on, enjoying the walk through the farms and then the countryside outside Central. Following the road wasn't difficult, and he felt tired, but in a good way, when he spotted what looked like a town ahead of him in the late afternoon. Long shadows covered the road as he reached it, and Tore paused.

This was it. This was his first step into trying out what he'd headed out to do. However, he realized, he'd be foolish to think the Elrics weren't looking for him. There were other things he had only briefly considered in his angry dash out of the house last night, and in the darkness that had consumed him inside as well as out as he stormed out of the town that had been his home for sixteen years. He was only sixteen. While that didn't matter to him, it could get him in a heap of trouble or, at least, inconvenience.

Tore stepped off into a copse of trees at the side of the road and took off his bag. Now was the time for a little clever alchemy. He pulled out his ID and a piece of chalk. On a flat stone, he drew out a transmutation circle and lay the ID down on it. This should be a really simple bit of alchemy. In seconds, it was done. The card looked identical to the way it had before, only now his birth date read as being two years earlier than it was. Anyone who looked at it would think Tore was legally eighteen.

The next tricks weren't much more challenging. He changed the color of his bag from red to a more brownish color using the green from the plants around him to combine the colors. Then he did his best to change the color of his hair. Without real dye that was harder, but he finally managed to make it a few shades lighter, closer to a dark blond than its usual rich brown. He wouldn't automatically fit any description out of him.

Now it was time to head into town and find something to eat! Tore had money on him. He hadn't had time to stop by the bank in Central to pull anything out of his accounts. The bank had been closed. But it was the State bank; he could access that anywhere in Amestris that had a brnach. Still, he was an alchemist. He intended to do his best to earn his way as he went.

Tore stepped back out onto the road and headed into town. _Here we go. Nothing to be nervous about. Nothing to feel regrets over. This is what I've wanted, and now it's mine._

There was a cheap café in town where Tore found a good meal he could afford. After a burger, fries, and a thick strawberry shake it was time to figure out where he wanted to spend the night. The only cheap motel in town was still out of his price range.

_Well now what?_ He supposed there was nothing for it but to head out of town again and try and find another haystack or something to that effect. There were plenty of places, right?

Tore had only just stepped outside however when he heard a commotion. On the other side of the road a man was standing outside his car with the front hood open. Out of the car billowed a lot of smoke and the man was swearing. This could be just the opportunity Tore had been waiting for. It was time to test his skills.

"Excuse me," he said as he walked up to the man. "Can I help you?"

"You a mechanic?" The man asked, eyeing him with an unconvinced but desperate expression. "I'm supposed to be in Pellison tonight and this hunk of junk picks now to break down; and in a town with no auto shop!" He tugged at his hat in annoyance.

"I'm an alchemist," Tore replied with a grin. "I can give it a shot."

"Alchemist huh?" The man sighed. "Well, go for it. But if you make it worse you're paying for the damages later."  
Tore was pretty sure he couldn't make it worse. He pulled out chalk and drew a circle on the part of the car where the smoke had been emanating from, but seemed to be dissipating. Placing his hands to it, the entire engine began to glow bright blue, and a minute later he stepped back, sweating. "Crack in the engine block," he declared it. "There were a couple of other things too. It shouldn't give you any trouble now though."

The man looked perplexed, then hurried around to the driver's side and got in. When he turned the key the car roared to life, then settled into a quiet purr. "Fantastic!" He got out again and shook Tore's hand. "Thanks a lot. I'm Jaimes Vanders."

"Tore Closson," Tore shook his hand back firmly.

"Well is there anything I can do to repay you?" Vanders asked. "You just saved me a lot of time and money on that repair."

Tore shrugged, but then an idea hit him. "Well I'm not in it for reward but, if you don't mind I could use a ride? Up the way you're going." It didn't matter to him where it was after all. Though Tore made a mental note to buy a map sometime soon!

"Sure thing! Hop in," Vanders indicated the driver's side door. "It's the least I can do. Where are you headed?"

"Just traveling," Tore admitted as he got in and they drove off. "I've spent most of my life in the city, and I wanted to see the rest of the world for a change."

"Can't blame you there," Vanders grinned. "I've always enjoyed traveling, though I wish my job didn't keep me away from home so much anymore."

"What do you do?" Tore asked, biting back the urge to say _sir_. He was supposed to be eighteen, and Vanders looked to be in maybe his early 30s.

"I help farmers find markets to sell their produce," Vanders grinned. "On my way home from Central; been talking to grocers all day for a new client. Don't want to be late tonight. It's my daughter's birthday." He gestured behind them, and Tore looked back to see a big stuffed bear and a couple of other wrapped presents in the back seat. "If you've got nowhere else to stay I'm sure you'd be welcome at our place for a night or two. Not much to see in Pellison, but it's a nice little spot."

"Sure, thanks," Tore grinned as they headed out of town on the road heading north and a little west. So far, this was turning out okay.

**June 1****st****, 1961 **

Lia hummed to herself as she left the school on the last day of term. It was done! She was sad to say goodbye to all the friends she had made the last two years, and to her students, who had all been very sorry to see her go. Still, it was time to start packing for their trip back home! Lia could hardly contain her excitement at the thought of seeing Amestris again; going down to South City to see her parents, Resembool to visit Will and Cassie, and then their final destination, Central! _Home._

The last few days nothing could take away her good mood. They were going home, and then they could get settled in and finally they would be able to get married. The thought gave Lia a thrill that ran from her hair to her toes every time she thought about it. _Mrs. Elric. Mrs. Lia Elric. _Such a wonderful sound those words had together!

Lia waved to the doorman and, with her bag over her shoulder, took the stairs up to Ethan's little apartment two at a time. Since he was done with his work shifts, he should be home packing his things. "Ethan!" She knocked at the door, still observing some semblance of privacy and politeness. It would be so nice to get back to Amestris, where people didn't assume inappropriate things if a man and woman were alone together for more than five minutes. "Ethan?" She knocked again when he didn't answer. Then she thought she heard him say something. Was that come in? Shrugging, Lia opened the door. It wasn't locked. "Are you ready to--" She turned around and stopped cold. "Ethan!"

He lay on his bed, still in his pajamas, but something was wrong, very wrong. He seemed, _contorted _in a painful position that looked utterly unnatural. His body was twitching, shaking, and he was slick with sweat. Dropping her bag, Lia was at his side in an instant. "Can you hear me?" She put one hand on his shoulder and hoped for a response. Ethan groaned, but that was all. He looked pale and there was vomit on the bed sheets. Something was dreadfully, dreadfully wrong! _What was it Ethan said about that disease they were fighting up in Xanko Village? Oh no! No no….. _Eyes filling with tears, Lia ran the door and shouted ::Help! Someone please come quickly!:: She was standing in a building that housed doctors. Surely someone else was home!

The door down the hall burst open a few moments later and Ranaki Misuo, another one of the guys who had just finished his program, came out looking a little harried. He spotted Lia. ::What's wrong?::

::It's Ethan,:: Lia replied as he hurried towards her. ::He's very ill and I think…I think it might be Nenimophilus.:: She didn't know if there was an Amestrian word for it. She'd never seen the disease before coming to Xing.

Ranaki's face blanched and he darted into Ethan's room, Lia right behind him. He bent over Ethan and looked in his eyes. When he tried to pry them open Ethan snapped them shut and groaned, trying to roll over. Ranaki felt the back of his neck, then grimaced. ::It is,:: was all he said in reply. ::I don't have antibiotics in my room. We've got to get him over to the hospital.:: He ran out into the hallway to the phone that everyone on the hall shared and Lia could hear him talking quickly over it.

Lia stayed by Ethan's side, her stomach clenched in terror. She had never seen him so pale, and that was saying something! She tried to soothe him as best she could, but any touch of her hand made him twitch and roll, and that just made him cry out more. _No… please no. Not now! _

The world became a blur. Focused on Ethan, Lia was unaware of time passing until a transport team arrived from the hospital and moved Ethan downstairs into the ambulance. Lia refused to be left behind. Then they were in the hospital and he was whisked up to a room and she was suddenly jolted back to the rest of the world as she was informed, firmly, that she would stay in the waiting room while Ethan was examined. ::No!:: Lia objected. ::I'm not leaving him now! Not when he needs me the most!::

The doctor who was detaining her looked sympathetic, but shook his head. ::You may come in when we have seen to him.::

Lia was left standing there, feeling utterly helpless for the first time in a long time, and terrified for Ethan for the second. She remembered finding him in his room the night he'd had a bad reaction to alcohol. She's been scared then, though he had turned out all right. But this…this was worse. Everything Ethan had ever mentioned about the disease haunted her now. There was usually a twenty-five percent chance that any patient wouldn't make it. It could leave patients in comas, or paralyzed. They were lucky to come out of it only weakened. There could be brain damage.

They kept her waiting for almost two hours, the litany of medical information pounding in her brain, feeding her nightmares. Ethan couldn't die! She could _not _accept that possibility. Finally, a doctor came over to talk to her. ::You may see him now.::

::How is he?:: Lia asked, dozens of questions bubbling over in her head.

::Not well,:: the doctor replied simply. ::His case is very serious. Come,:: he gestured for her to follow him down the hallway. ::We will talk in private.::

This wasn't good. But he was alive. There was hope. There was always a chance. ::What happened?:: She asked as they stepped into Ethan's private room. ::He was fine when he got back.::

::Nenimophilus can take anywhere from two days to a week to show up in a patient,:: the doctor explained. ::The onset once it does is often rapid. I suspect it probably hit him last night.::

And no one had known because Lia hadn't had time to see him for breakfast that morning. Wiping her eyes, she moved forward to where Ethan was lying on the bed. The position he was in looked only slightly more comfortable. He was still sweating, his skin hot to the touch as she placed a hand on his cheek. There was a chair on his left, so she sat down. There was an IV hooked up to Ethan's right arm. ::What's in it?:: She didn't know much about the treatment.

::Water for hydration mostly,:: the doctor admitted. ::We've given him a heavy dose of antibiotics and the strongest anti-inflammatory we have. As soon as he's available, Doctor Saito is going to give him an alchemical treatment as well to help his body fight back.::

::How…how long can it take for someone to get over it?:: Lia asked, taking Ethan's limp left hand in both of hers, cupping it gently.

::A few days,:: the doctor explained. ::Longer than that and the damage is often too severe. There may be permanent damage.::

::Paralysis, coma….death.:: Lia finished the litany herself. ::Ethan told me.::

::He's saved me the hard truths,:: the doctor sighed. Lia knew she should remember the man's name. She had met him before. But right now her brain seemed unable to focus on anything else. Either way, he kept talking to her. ::Afterwards, recovery may take weeks or months depending on the extent of damage. He will need constant care.::

At least now they were talking like he would live, instead about what would happen if he did not. Lia nodded. ::He'll have it.::

She was surprised when the doctor gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. ::I am sure he will. He's stubborn too.::

::Yeah,:: Lia nodded through her tears. ::He is.:: If anyone could beat this, Ethan could. Still, the number of colds he'd had in the time that she had known him, how easily he came down with things when he worked himself too hard. She had certainly taken care of him through enough of those the last few years. Lia couldn't help but worry. She shook herself. Now was the time to think positively. Ethan had never needed her more, and she would be here for him, no matter what.

Leaning down over him, she planted a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Remember," she whispered softly. "I love you."


	3. Chapter 3

**June 3****rd****, 1961**

"You're sure?" Edward asked Sciezka.

"For the fifth time today, yes Edward," Sciezka replied with exasperated sympathy. "I haven't heard anything about Tore's whereabouts from anyone. We're fairly certain he's not in the city, but he hasn't been sighted on any of the trains going south as far as we know or on the roads either. As soon as I hear something you will be the first person to know."

"Right, right," Ed sighed. "Sorry for bothering you, Sciezka." He turned to leave the Investigations office.

"Ed," she called after him. "We'll find him or he'll come home. Don't worry."

"Thanks." He smiled weakly and left, heading back towards his office. Almost four full days since Tore had stormed out of the house and completely vanished. Going back to work with the boy missing had been difficult. Ed was having trouble concentrating on things. Fortunately the other alchemists understood his concerns. That didn't make them go easy on him during State Alchemist drill sessions, but at least then Ed could focus on fighting. That was the only time he could block out everything else. His lectures for the program had been fairly rote, and he doubted they were as interesting as he usually managed to make them.

At least he was done with them for the day. He was half way back to the car when he heard familiar footsteps coming up behind him. "Hey, Ed, wait up!" It was Alphonse.

Ed paused and waited for his brother. "What's up, Al?"

"Any news?" Al asked as he fell into step beside Ed, who started moving again.

Ed shook his head. "Nothing. It's like the kid just vanished."

Al looked sympathetic and worried. "I still can't believe he just ran off like that after almost five years."

Ed just nodded. "Yeah. The cat's been throwing fits for two days now. Yowling at odd hours, scratching at my bedroom door. If I get my hands on that kid I'm going to kick his ass for sheer stupidity!"

Al chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Ed asked, looking up at him.

"You're starting to sound more like Izumi," Al grinned. "We put her through at least as much grief. Probably more. And Pinako and Winry, us running all over the place and almost never sending letters. But we survived."

Al had a point, though it wasn't one that made Ed feel better. "At least we were used to roughing it," he sighed. "I tried Al, I swear I did. I think the kid _tries_ to hit my buttons."

"Oh gee, who do we know who likes to do that?" Al snickered.

"Hey, I apologized to Mustang for that years ago," Ed countered. "So, you're coming over for dinner tonight right?"

"We'll be there," Al nodded. "Elicia and Gracia were planning to cook all day."

"Sounds great!" Ed grinned as they parted ways in the parking lot. "See you in a bit."

Winry had suggested having everyone over for dinner. While Ed knew she was probably trying to distract him, it was always nice to get everyone together. With so much of the family living in Central, it took some doing! He looked forward to Ethan and Lia moving back soon. Ed missed his youngest a lot, especially lately.

It had hurt to have to write Ethan and tell him his dog had died when Bounce finally passed. She had, for all intensive purposes, been his. The return letter had been, in Ed's mind, slightly subdued, but accepting. As a doctor, Ed knew Ethan dealt with death or the threat thereof in other people much more often than Ed did now. With each letter though, Ed felt like he was missing so much. Ethan, like his brother and sister before him, had grown up and out of his childhood and started life without his parents.

Having Tore around had eased that blow somewhat, but now Ed felt the emptiness most keenly. He had almost failed Ethan – and Sara and Aldon – after Aerugo. Now though, he couldn't figure out exactly where he had gone wrong to make Tore so angry with him that he would prefer to wander aimlessly.

Ed drove home and went inside, his thoughts still a jumble. He'd had knots in his shoulders for two days, and lousy sleep for all four. He headed into the living room and looked around. "Winry, you home?"

"Out here," her voice carried in from the open back door in the kitchen. "I'm giving Pir a bath! He rolled in something."

"Oh great," Ed snorted, crossing into the kitchen and looking out into the yard. Winry had Pir on the grass. The dog was holding still, but he looked dejected under the running hose. "Well he needed it anyway," he chuckled at Pir's droopy look. Daia lay on the deck watching with, what Ed would almost bet, was parental amusement.

"He certainly did," Winry sighed, though she was smiling. Her sleeves were rolled back and she had a pale green checked bandana she was using to keep her hair out of the way. "I wanted to get dinner started but I figured a clean dog would be better when everyone gets here."

"Well I'll start chopping okay?" Ed offered. While everyone was bringing a dish, that still meant they were providing one. From what Ed saw, Winry had a baked vegetable dish planned. He glanced around the kitchen. The veggies were lying on the counter.

"Would you? I'd appreciate it," Winry smiled at him just as Pir tried to pull away, getting them both soaked with the hose!

"No problem," Ed promised before turning and going to get the cutting board and the knife. He washed his hands and was half way through the first zucchini when the phone rang. "I've got it," he called to Winry as he went into the other room. It was probably someone asking about a dish or something. "Hello?"

There was a pause. "Mr. Elric?" The female voice on the other end of the line sounded hesitant. "It's Lia."

Lia! Well that explained the slight time delay. The distance was great enough to affect that. "Hi there," he smiled into the phone. "What's up?"

This time, he suspected the delay was not just time related. The next sound he heard was a sniffled sob. "I… well it's…it's Ethan," she cried. "He's very ill and…."

"Whoa, what?" Ed blinked, trying to take in what she's said. Ethan was ill. Lia was crying…. "What's wrong with him?"

"It's called… nenimophilus," Lia replied hesitantly. "It's… well they say he's got an eighty-percent chance usually but…"

"But? What but?" _Don't panic, Edward. Ethan's strong. He's not going to let something like this beat him. _But memories came unbidden of a tiny, eight fingered baby who had needed extra care the first couple of years of life; how easily Ethan could push himself too far….

"Well he came down ill two days ago," Lia managed a rush of explanation. "And it's just gotten worse. I'm sorry I had to…tell you like…this…but…"

Ed hated hearing her cry as much as he felt his own insides being ripped out. He thought he'd heard of the disease, but medicine wasn't his primary area of interest. He just remembered it being bad. Something to do with the brain? "Lia, it's okay…" he replied, forcing himself to keep cool. "We needed to know." He swallowed, trying to wet his throat, which had gone hoarse. "Stay strong, okay? Call us if there's any change and tell…tell Ethan we love him."

Lia was still crying on the other end. "I will," she promised. "Goodbye."

For a moment, all was silence.

Edward wanted to scream. His insides already were. His son was ill, possibly _dying_, and Ed couldn't even go to him! He was on the far side of Xing. This would be decided well before even the fastest train – or even a European airplane – could have gotten him there.

He shook himself, realizing he was just standing there, holding the phone receiver. He hung up and turned, numbly moving back into the kitchen.

"Who was it, Ed?" Winry asked as she came inside, shutting the door in Pir's drippy face. She frowned as she looked at him, probably catching his expression. "What's wrong? You look pale."

Ed almost couldn't say it. "Ethan's sick," he replied simply.

Winry didn't ask _how sick_. That much had to be clear from his reaction. "Oh…" Briefly, Ed filled her in on the conversation. Winry, of course, was more familiar with the disease. She went ash white when he said the name. When he was done, there were tears in his wife's eyes too. She hugged him tightly. "My baby," she sniffed. "He'll get better," she added with forced conviction. "He's as stubborn as you are. Besides, he'll have the best care possible."

"They do have alchemic doctors," Ed agreed softly.

"Silly," Winry surprised him as she leaned back a little and met his eyes. "I meant Lia."

"Oh, right." Ed wished that comment made him feel like smiling. After a moment, they pulled apart. "I'll get back to dinner," he said, for want of anything better. What else could he say? They were both worried about Ethan, but that was all they could do from here.

Winry kissed his cheek. "Thanks. I'll get dried off and changed."

Everyone would be there within an hour. As Ed turned back to the recently abandoned vegetables, he wondered where he was going to find the words to tell them that, thousands of miles away, Ethan was fighting for his life against an enemy much more insidious than any rogue alchemist.

**June 5****th****, 1961**

The world was not nearly as difficult to get around in as Tore had expected. He had stayed two nights at Vanders' home with his family. They had been friendly and nice and Tore had done his part, fixing a couple of things around the house before he picked up a road map in town and decided to head on.

His method was simple. He looked at the map, decided which direction looked interesting to go that had a town or village not too far away, and started out walking. Sometimes he could catch a ride here or there – a few miles, a town or two. It didn't matter where he went, the point was to do alchemist work and there were people everywhere who could use a little help.

The plan worked pretty well. Tore either found someplace to curl up for the night or managed to be offered a bed in exchange for a little help. He had long left the road to North City, wandering generally west and occasionally north. The weather was a little cooler up that way in the summer, and he found it pleasant as he moved from the plains of Central Amestris into forests. He could see foothills not too far off, and the northern mountains further off in the distance; a long way from the looks of things.

It only took him about a week though, to find himself at the end of his funds, without a state bank in sight, walking along a quiet dirt road with the late afternoon sun shining through the trees and not a town for miles.

The area he wandered through now was wooded hills, but with farms cleared out where-ever they could manage. So now he walked with forest on one side and a large fenced field to the other.

The day was pleasant. Tore had been fortunate to have good weather in the week since he left. It helped keep his mind off of everything he had left behind. He focused on what was ahead and the new people and experiences he was enjoying.

At least, that was his days. Nights were harder. Tore was getting used to sleeping in strange places, but his dreams were not restful. The fight with Fullmetal and, even more, the talk with Charisa afterwards, haunted him, lingering, and mutating. In his mind, Charisa's words were even more painful. Fullmetal was more frightening and threatening. Tore ignored his dreams as best he could, grateful for daylight.

_Ka-bang! _

An explosion and then the sound of banging and cursing made Tore turn sharply, looking off the road to his left. Out in the field, a tractor was billowing smoke and a guy a few years older than him was smacking it with a wrench. "Damn it you hunk of junk!"

And that was his cue. Tore paused, walked over to the fence and called out, "Can I help?"

The other guy stopped, turned, and looked at him. "Can't hurt," he shouted back.

Tore hopped the fence and crossed the field to where the thing stood. "Let's see." He pulled out chalk and started drawing on the side of the tractor.

The guy snorted. "What do you think you're doing?"

Tore grinned as he finished and smacked his hands to the circle. "Fixing your tractor." This was obvious a minute later when smoke stopped billowing and the tractor stopped glowing. Tore was getting pretty good at machinery, especially if it had electrical systems of any kind. "Give it a try."

The guy – blond and taller than Tore he could now see – shrugged and reached up into the cab, turning the key again. As Tore had come to expect, the machine started to run beautifully. Gray eyes opened wide. "It hasn't sounded that good since Dad got it new ten years ago." He looked over at Tore. "Thanks. Who _are_ you?"

"Tore," he held out his hand to offer a shake. "Alchemist and world traveler." The last had an added twist of humor.

The guy snickered and shook his hand warmly. "I'm Graves Hopkins. This is the great family business," he gestured expansively with the other hand at the tractor and the farm surrounding it. "As you can see it's…well not doing so great at the moment. We're a bit behind. Dad's been laid up hurt and… well," he shook himself. "You don't need to know all about that I guess. Well hey…. You want to stay for dinner? It's the least I can offer. I'd be another two days behind by the time I got this monster fixed."

"That'd be great," Tore jumped on the opportunity immediately. He'd been walking all day on a breakfast of handfuls of summer berries and some self-burnt toast.

"Though that might be," Graves chuckled. "Nita and Mom ought to have dinner on the table about now." He turned and, leaving the tractor sitting in the field for the moment, headed towards the farm house set back from the road at the top of the low hill.

Tore followed. "So you said your Dad was hurt," he commented as they walked, curious to know more about the situation he was walking into. Mostly to avoid a social blunder if he could.

Graves nodded. "Yeah. Busted both legs up pretty bad early spring. We had flooding around here and he got smacked by an uprooted tree trying to get one of the neighborhood kids out of the middle of the river."

Tore winced. "The kid okay?"

"Yeah, Ricky was all right in the end," Graves replied. "Dad's a lot slower recovering. Mom spends most of her time taking care of the garden, the house, and Dad."

"And your sister?" At least, Tore assumed Nita was a girl!

"Nita? Well, Anita really," Graves said, his expression softening a little. "She's a kid; almost sixteen. " From his tone, he was obviously fond of his younger sister. "She spends most of her time at home. There's nothing wrong with her," he added hastily. "Not really. She's sweet and easy going. Helps out when she can, but she was sick a lot as a kid, so she's not as robust as some. The kids used to tease her a bunch when she was little. So she's a little shy with new folk. Don't take offense if she doesn't talk to you much."

"I won't." Tore assured him.

Tore's first impression of Graves' mother was how pleasant she was. Mrs. Hopkins was a kindly woman with thick graying-blond hair, a slightly plump figure, and a gentle smile. "I can't thank you enough for helping Graves out," she said when she heard the story. "Welcome to our house Tore. Surely you'll stay the night? If you're walking it's far too far to make it into town before tomorrow. It's another forty miles. Sit down; get comfortable while I get dinner on."

Graves grinned at Tore as he walked over to the refrigerator in the kitchen, which was visible from the dining table Tore sat down at. "One heck of a day's work. You want a beer?" Graves poked his head out from rooting around. "Walking's thirsty work too."

Tore grinned and shrugged. "Sure."

"Just one before dinner," Mrs. Hopkins tsked as she moved past Graves and placed a covered platter that smelled deliciously like roast pork on the table. She turned and looked at them both. "And have either of your washed?"

Tore was glad that Graves looked just as contritely apologetic as they chorused "No."

"Well you can use pump out back and while you're at it Graves tell your sister to do the same. She should be done feeding the animals."

"Yes ma'am," Graves chuckled as Tore stood up to join him. He handed Tore his drink as they headed out the same door they'd just come in.

"You keep animals," Tore asked curiously, popping open his bottle and taking a sip.

Graves nodded as he did the same, leading Tore around the other side of the house. Now, down the hill on the other side, Tore could see a barn and a couple of fenced off pastures nestled in the trees. "Yep. We've got horses, a few cows, pigs, and chickens." Graves stopped walking and sat down at the curve of the hill just out of view of the house and proceeded to relax and finish his drink.

Tore did the same. If they were assuming he was an adult, he wasn't going to disabuse anyone of the notion. He'd better act at least eighteen. It helped that a couple of days without shaving had left him with a decent bit of dark scruff.

Tore watched the landscape below. As he did a young woman his age came out of the barn leading a brown horse towards the field where seven others were turned out and grazing. He didn't know much about livestock, so he couldn't have said if the horse was anything more than pretty. The girl on the other hand, had lovely confirmation. Her softly rabbit-brown hair was thick and straight, pulled back in a long tail that ran half way down her back. She was slim in build, though with gently rounded hips and a chest that he couldn't help but notice. She wore jeans and a simple blue t-shirt. From this distance, Tore couldn't tell her eye color, but her face was a soft oval with a sprinkling of freckles across the nose.

"Dad's pretty protective of her."

Tore blinked and looked over to find Graves smirking in a way that made it clear he knew Tore wasn't admiring the horse. Still he covered his own moment of unease with a chuckle. "As well he should be."

Graves nearly spat beer as he snickered. "Good answer. If the twerps at the local school were half that smart Dad might let them past the front gate." He finished his drink, stood and put one hand up to his mouth in a cup shape, bellowing, "Hey Nita! Dinner!"

Below the girl was closing the paddock gate. She turned, spotted Graves and then looked over at Tore as he stood up too. Any response she might have had died for the moment. She just nodded and headed their direction.

"Let's wash." Graves turned and showed Tore where the trough under a pump sat at the back of the house near the gardens. Both of the young men had scrubbed down faces and hands up to the elbows by the time Anita joined them. "There you are," Graves grinned as he toweled off his face. "Nita this is Tore. Helped me fix the tractor this afternoon so he's staying the night."

Anita looked askance at Tore a moment, though she smiled politely. "Thank you." Then she turned and went into the house. A moment later Tore saw her in the kitchen window, using the inside sink to wash.

"Told you she's shy," Graves shrugged. "I'm surprised she said anything."

Tore didn't make anything of it. When they got back inside, the table was set, and Mr. Hopkins had been helped to the table. While Tore knew he'd had both legs broken, it hadn't occurred to him how the man got around. Mr. Hopkins was not entirely bedridden it seemed, though he was making use of a wheelchair. It was clear that, before this, he had been a good sized, hearty man, though he looked weakened.

"So this is our wandering hero," Mr. Hopkins chuckled as they all took their seats around him. An extra chair had been pulled up between Graves and his father. "Welcome to our home." He took Tore's hand and shook it firmly.

"It's nothing, Sir," Tore replied modestly as he shook back and then took his seat.

"Nothing," Graves shook his head. "It took a minute tops! I mean, I've heard what all alchemy can do but I've never seen it before. That was something else."

"You're an alchemist?"

Tore was surprised it was Anita who had spoken. But she was looking at him curiously now. Since Mr. Hopkins did not look surprised, Tore supposed his wife had relayed the story she had just gotten not long before. "Yeah, I am."

"Well I'm grateful you showed up," Mrs. Hopkins smiled as everyone dug in. "That old tractor has been threatening to die for weeks. Our good fortune it happened today then."

"I'm happy to help fix anything else that needs it," Tore offered as he took a bite of the roast and vegetables. It was the most wonderful thing he had tasted in days. "This is…wonderful!"He said it as soon as he could talk without spraying food.

"Well thank you," Mrs. Hopkins smiled, clearly pleased at the compliment.

"We've got a few things around here that need doing," Mr. Hopkins admitted. "Not all big stuff of course. Barn needs some work; we're behind on the fields. Animals always need care. Horses need training."

Mrs. Hopkins gave an irritated glance at her husband that reminded Tore a lot of Mrs. Elric. "Now Gaven, no one's going to get all that done in a day."

Mr. Hopkins. "You're right of course Maggie." He turned and gave Tore a considering look. "How'd you like a job? Just a few weeks. Wouldn't have to stay longer than you like, but I know Graves could use the extra hand. This place isn't meant to run on one man's sweat."

"One?" It was Anita again, giving her a father a slightly offended look.

"All right, all right, one man and one girl," Mr. Hopkins smirked. "And one fine woman of course," he added with a grin at his wife. "Can't offer much considering. We got a spare room, plenty of food. I'm sure we can afford a small wage."

Tore had been wondering what he was going to do for money with no bank around. This seemed like as good an option as any! They seemed like a nice family, and he wasn't about to turn down hospitality and good food and a chance to just try farm life for a while. It wasn't like he had anywhere he had to be anymore. "Sure thing, Mr. Hopkins. You've got a deal."

The man grinned. "Excellent."

The rest of dinner was agreeable and chatty. Tore was given the run down on everything involved in daily farm work, as well as what entertainment there was, or wasn't, in the area to do with what little free time the locals ever had.

"There's the school, the post office, and a bar if you keep going down the road you were on," Graves snickered. "That's about it until you get into the main part of town. I can show you around later."

Anita sniffed. "Let him meet your_ friends_?" She didn't look pleased. She had just finished eating. "May I be excused, Mother?"

"Of course," Mrs. Hopkins nodded, also standing to clear the table. "Don't stay out too late, Graves. You boys will have plenty to do tomorrow."

"Sure thing, Mom," Graves nodded as he stood up and handed over his plate. "Want me to bring you anything back, Dad?"

"Just tell ol' man MacGivven he still owes me a visit and a few rounds of cards," Mr. Hopkins grinned. "He's got a mule. He can ride out here and spend an afternoon."

"Will do," Graves laughed as he stood up and gestured for Tore to follow. "Come on. Let's go before it gets dark. It's a bit of a walk."

Tore was a little surprised that they weren't staying to help with the dishes, but he supposed he shouldn't say anything. That seemed to be the norm around here. Mrs. Hopkins made no fuss about it. Mrs. Elric would certainly have if there had ever been an assumption that it was one person's job to clean up. Still, once they were outside he couldn't help mentioned it to Graves as they headed down the road towards the sun, which was now setting enough to tough the hills and trees and vanish from time to time as they moved.

"Oh Mom probably will later," Graves assured him. "But you're a guest tonight, even if you're hired help tomorrow. Still, since she spends most of her time at the house because of Dad, she doesn't make Nita or I do much when we're done with all the day's work. Especially not during school when Nita's not here most of the day."

Speaking of Anita… "So what was up with your sister?"

Graves shrugged dismissively. "She's not fond of the guys I hang out with. Or the girls for that matter," he chuckled. "Some of 'em used to pick on her when we were all kids. They don't anymore, but Nita's a bit of a prude. Doesn't much like cards or anything else fun. I get the dirtiest looks if I come home late and she's still up. Happens when she's got homework. Dad doesn't care as long as I keep out of trouble. Even Mom understands I'm not a boy anymore. Been three years and it still seems to bug Nita though."

"I know the type," Tore replied vaguely. The comment reminded him a little of Charisa's expression briefly at the party when he'd found the beers…. Later that night as he'd told her his plan and she'd refused to come. Giving himself a mental shake, Tore focused back on what Graves was saying.

"-girls should all be there tonight. Not much else going on this summer and it's Friday. We usually claim the pool tables on Fridays. Play a few rounds; then give it over for cards. You play?"

Tore hadn't played as much pool, but he nodded. "Both. Better at cards."

Graves chuckled. "Then I'll have to be careful how I bet don't I?"

"What's the stakes?" Tore felt he ought to ask before they got there. He was pretty flat broke.

"Nothing big," Graves assured him. "I can spot you in if you like. I figure if you had ready cash you wouldn't be agreeing to slave away at our place for a while."

Tore chuckled. "Well you're right on part of it. I grew up in the city. I've been around some, but I like being outside where there aren't so many people around all the time."

"You'll find plenty of empty nothing out here," Graves assured him. "City eh? Central?"

Tore nodded. He figured there was no need to lie about it. "Yeah. Raised there. Folks are dead though. Lived with my alchemy teacher for a few years, then decided it was time to do it for real instead of just sitting around in some classroom."

Graves nodded as if he understood. "I'd like to get away from the farm," he admitted. "I like my folks and my sister, but I want to see some more of the world eventually, maybe do something more interesting. Thought about joining the military, or working cattle yards for trains, moving them from place to place just to see what's out there. Can't leave with Dad laid up though; year before that we had a bad harvest; year before_ that_ we nearly lost half the cows to disease. Managed to nurse most of them through it, but it's hard to get free." He sounded frustrated, but perhaps also because part of him didn't want to leave.

"Maybe next year then," Tore offered.

"I don't suppose you can fix Dad's legs?"

The question almost came out of nowhere, except that Tore had briefly wished the same thing earlier. He shook his head regretfully. "Some alchemists can heal humans. There's alchemy trained doctors in Xing, and I know a couple in Central, but a human – or any animal – is a lot more complicated than tractors, buildings, anything inanimate. Even then, they can help hurry the healing process, and heal smaller stuff pretty fast. Big things can still take quite a while, and they take a lot of out the patient too."

Graves sighed, but he didn't look too upset. "I didn't think so. You'd have offered."

"Yeah, I would have," Tore agreed. It was something he still wished he were better at. "So, before we get there, anything I should know? Local customs, girls to avoid flirting with that have jealous boyfriends?"

Graves grinned again. "Well, Ben Kale, the bartender, is a pain about ID. Even the regulars get it from time to time and the rest of us younger folk every time. I think he's looking for an excuse to say no proof go home. Other than that," he shrugged. "Only a couple of the girls are taken and it's pretty clear who they are, but none of the guys'll kill ya for not knowing. After tonight it might be a different story."

"I'll keep that in mind," Tore replied. He learned fast when it came to girls. That would be easy! He was silently glad, however, that he had already altered his ID days back. He'd been into a couple of bars along the way, no matter what he ordered, and had made sure that no one looked twice at it. Apparently he was pretty convincing at eighteen and no one seemed to think it fake.

A job for as long as he wanted it, a bed, food, and what looked like a couple of new friends. Tore was glad he'd left Central. This was the most relaxed he'd been in days, and he felt like maybe his luck was changing. _This is a good way to kick off a new part of life._


	4. Chapter 4

**June 6****th****, 1961**

_This isn't how this was supposed to be. _Lia sat, as she had for the last five days, at Ethan's bedside; his limp, pale left hand cupped tenderly in her right. There was nothing she could do but watch him sleep and tend him in place of the nurses when they would let her. She had left only when ordered, and then only long enough to go home, bathe, and find food. Then she would be back. The doctor tending Ethan had stopped trying to make her leave long enough to rest. She catnapped in the chair in Ethan's room, or caught a longer nap on the empty bed on the other wall. While the room was normally designed for two patients, with Ethan's case he was kept by himself.

Peace and rest, the doctor insisted, were necessary. Doctor Saito, who had come daily to give Ethan an alchemical boost towards healing on top of the medications he was already being given, felt the same way, though he never once tried to make her leave. ::You are the best thing for him,:: he said at one moment. ::For you, he will do his best to deny the grave another tenant.::

While the imagery made Lia shudder, she appreciated the sentiment. While she could have slept more if she wanted, she didn't. How could she? Ethan had taken a sharp downward turn on the third, which had been when she knew she could no longer hold off on calling the Elrics. Ethan would not slough this off; he was deathly ill and there was no imagining otherwise.

His condition was, as she understood it, relatively stable. The problem was that stability was somewhere between bad and worse. Ethan's fever fluctuated, sometimes dangerously high, but refused to break. He was clearly distressed and in pain, and he hadn't kept food down yet. If not for the IV keeping him hydrated, Lia knew he would have not kept fluids down either. Pale, sometimes sweaty and often not – which was so much worse – and prone to twitching fits of muscles he could not control, Ethan had not regained full consciousness in three days.

No, Lia could not sleep long. If he died while she rested, she would never forgive herself. She had called the Elrics again that morning to tell them that, if nothing else, Ethan was still alive. She could not bear to tell them how much the disease ate away at him. His lean frame looked sparse, his cheeks sallow and hollowed. Despite the constant pump of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications into his system, Ethan seemed to be holding on rather than responding well. There were monitors on him now that kept tabs on his heart rate, which was still fairly strong, but it fluctuated with his condition. His breathing was often labored.

::I haven't had a case this severe in a long time,:: Saito had commented after this morning's alchemical treatment. ::Not even last week.::

Knowing that they had lost patients, Lia felt her stomach turn at that thought. She refused to give up, but chances looked slimmer by the day. _You can't die on me now, Ethan Elric. You're not getting out of a wedding that easily._ No, when their life together as more was just starting, she could not believe it would end this way.

::Miss Swanson.::

Lia startled, she hadn't heard the doctor – Yamato she had to remind herself; he had a name – enter. ::Yes?::

::We need to run some tests and examine him. Why don't you take a few minutes for yourself?:: Yamato asked politely, clearly a little uneasy.

Lia knew now what that meant. Moving Ethan around to examine his head, his spine, everything else, looked and sounded horrible. He groaned and cried out, and his body still refused to line up completely straight. She had been hard pressed to watch the first time. It was easier not to. She stood and nodded. ::I'll get a drink.::

She wandered out, past the waiting room, but did not go so far as the hospital's small dining area on the bottom floor. Ethan's room was on the third at the other end of the building. She refused to walk that far. Instead Lia used the restroom then went to the small room that was normally used only for the nurses and employees but Saito had informed them all that if anyone denied Doctor Elric's fiancée access to anything in there than there would be serious repercussions.

So that meant she could get anything she needed. Right now that meant scavenging whatever snacks and drinks were available. There were two pots of hot beverage; one coffee and one tea. The coffee maker was an ingenious thing that had a spigot at the side for just water if someone preferred hot chocolate or just water with lemon.

Lia pondered the options, not feeling in the mood for anything in particular. Finally she settled on tea with honey and cream in the largest mug she could find. For a rare moment she wondered if it wouldn't be better spiked. She'd never spiked anything in her life, but after the past few days she understood the appeal. Anything to take her away from it all and yet, if she wanted that, it would be easier to try and get some sleep.

Lia drained the entire cup of tea and mixed a new one before she headed back out to the waiting room and sat down. It was fairly empty this afternoon. Ethan was the most serious case on the ward at the moment, and regular visiting hours had just ended. Most people had gone home for the evening to the rest of their families. It was quiet. For now, that was almost a blessing.

::I'm surprised to see you out here.::

Lia almost spilled tea in her lap she jumped so fast. She looked up, heart pounding until she realized who was there. ::Mr. Akisa,:: she replied coolly. ::What brings you here on the weekend?:: Kimo and Ethan had gotten past the worst of their brawl a few months back, but that didn't mean things weren't still a little more distant than they had been.

Kimo looked hurt at the formal greeting. ::I wanted to see how Ethan was doing,:: he replied, not sitting down, ::And how you were holding up.:: He was clearly worried.

::I've been better,:: Lia replied simply, sipping her tea. She was very grateful that school was over; she could never have taught in this frame of mind.

::How's Ethan?:: Kimo asked.

::Not well.:: Lia could barely bring herself to say anything further. She really didn't want to discuss it. That seemed to be all she did lately.

Kimo fidgeted. ::Is there anything you need? Have you eaten?::

Lia felt herself relenting slightly. She was too tired, and he did care. He was a friend even if not as close as they had all been before. Lia was sure Ethan had never completely forgiven Kimo for some of the things he had said. ::Not recently,:: she admitted. She had eaten breakfast, she thought. Someone – Saito probably – had made sure she'd had something sent to her.

::Do I have permission to get you something from downstairs?::

::Yes,:: Lia replied quietly. She couldn't say the quip that came to mind. _I don't think Ethan's in any position to object. _Fresh tears started to run from her eyes, as they did often lately. She had stopped trying not to cry.

Kimo looked even more distressed by this turn of events. ::Aaa..all right. I'll go see what they've got. Any preferences?::

Lia shook her head as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. ::No. Anything's fine.::

At a loss for anything else to say, or perhaps wanting to escape, Kimo hurried away down the hall.

A few minutes later Doctor Yamato joined her. ::We're finished,:: he said. ::You may rejoin him when you wish.::

Lia stood. ::I'll go now.:: As if she wanted to wait another moment! She'd rather sit and be worried and bored out of her mind with Ethan than without him. ::Someone… is bringing me food. Can he come in when he arrives?::

::I will see that it gets to you,:: Yamato nodded.

Lia hurried back to Ethan's room. He was already back in bed, tucked back under the light sheet. The IV bag had been changed and she was sure he'd been given his next doses of medication. He was fully unconscious at the moment; vital signs slow but reasonably steady. Lia resumed her seat and picked up Ethan's hand, leaving her tea on the bedside table. "I'm back," she said. Whether or not he replied, she always talked to him. He had to know she was there, waiting and hoping and praying for his recovery. "You seem better."

::I wish that were the case.:: Yamato had followed her in. ::He had another seizure while we were looking him over, I'm afraid. We had to give him a rather heavy sedative afterward.::

::Is there_ any_ improvement?:: Lia asked.

::Not yet,:: Yamato replied with a sigh. ::It can take quite some time to kill the bacteria. He's still fighting. We will see what happens.::

Doctors were so damned fatalistic! Lia sniffed and squeezed Ethan's hand again before she moved and reached for the already-warm cloth on his forehead, dipped it in the refilled bucket of cold water, wrung it, and replaced it. ::We will,:: she replied firmly. Then she was left alone again.

No not alone; she had Ethan, for however long they had left, she would never leave him.

**June 7****th****, 1961**

"Edward, are you going to get up?"

With his head buried under his pillow and the comforter, Ed could almost pretend he hadn't heard Winry. There was one fatal flaw in his plan however. She knew well and good he hadn't slept well last night or, for that matter, any night for the past week. Last night he had given up completely and spent half the night just pacing the house. He couldn't focus on research, or sleep, or almost anything else lately.

He had too many things to worry about. Tore's empty room spoke volumes. His cat, now rather distressed, spoke at an even higher volume! Rapscallion slunk around the house yowling at odd hours, and alternately loved on or attacked Ed's legs. As if Ed didn't hurt enough over his student's running out. The longer Tore was gone, the more Ed wondered just how much of that really was _his _fault. It soured his stomach to think that he might have been the cause of Tore's rash reaction as much as Roy had often been the impetus for Ed.

Sciezka had reported nothing. There was no sign of Tore having headed in any direction at all by train out of Central. He hadn't shown up in Resembool, though Ed had called Aldon three times that week even when it would have been too early for Tore to arrive the first time he called. His bank account hadn't been touched. No one had seen the boy, but he also hadn't caused any trouble that had brought anyone swooping down on him.

Then there was Ethan, still hanging on according to Lia, but in a desperate state and far away on the other side of the Continent. Ed had asked Ren about the disease in question when they had broken the news to the family, and her reaction had been anything but reassuring. Ed had found out everything he could possibly want to know, and it only made him feel worse.

Two boys he loved, one his son and the other as much as one, and there seemed to be nothing he could do for either.

"Edward." There was a shove from one hand that said Winry had not simply disappeared. "I know you aren't asleep."

"If you left me alone maybe I would be," Ed grumbled as he gave in enough to pull his head out into the bright late-morning light. He'd crawled into bed again at about four in the morning, but tossed and turned until sunrise.

"Don't pin it on me," Winry sighed, arms crossed. "You should come downstairs and eat lunch."

"Don't you mean breakfast?"

"By the time you get down there it will be lunch."

It took a lot to put Ed off of food, but these stressors were enough to do it. He hadn't felt hungry much in days, and he privately wondered if he wasn't working himself into another ulcer. He'd rather not repeat that experience either. "All right. All right." He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I just can't stop thinking."

"About?"

"Everything."

Winry's expression softened and she sat down next to him. "You're not the only one who's worried, Ed. I want to find Tore as much as you do, and I'm scared half to death about Ethan."

_But lying up here isn't going to solve anything._ She didn't have to say it. Ed knew. There were an awful lot of things Winry didn't have to say anymore. Ed would hear them anyway. "Got any suggestions?"

Winry nodded. "One, but I don't think you'll like it."

"What would that be?" Ed asked. It couldn't be worse than anything else he'd conjured in his own imagination lately.

"Let Tore be."

"What?" Ed blinked. He hadn't heard that. "Call of searching?"

"How well did you do being hunted down by the military?" Winry cut to the point with surprising efficiency. "When you were sixteen you'd been roving all over this Country for four years doing whatever you damned well pleased without a word hardly to anyone who cared about you. You and Al came out okay. You learned a lot and Tore doesn't have homunculi after him."

It was not the answer he had ever expected from Winry. "You think he'll be okay?"

"I think you trained him," Winry smiled slightly. "And he's talented. He's as stubborn and resourceful as you are even if he has a lot to learn. Maybe this will actually teach him what he needs. I doubt he's in any real danger of anything other than spending a little time sleeping in the open and maybe going hungry. He's an alchemist and an opportunist. He made in on the streets at eleven; he'll be all right. And, hopefully, when he finds out what he needs to know, he'll realize he can still come home."

"We can hope," Ed replied as he stood and stretched. He still felt groggy and a little stiff in the joints. A workout would help that, but after having to make himself focus on his classes all week, even fighting by the end, he couldn't stir up the enthusiasm. A couple of days off didn't hurt.

"We can," Winry agreed, following him back onto his feet. She took a few steps towards the bedroom door. "It's time Tore had a little taste of what being truly independent means."

"Well I still want people to keep an ear out for information," Ed finished begrudgingly. "I'd at least like to know he's okay even if we don't have him hauled in." It was better than a police or military manhunt certainly.

"If it will make you feel better," Winry replied as they headed down the stairs.

Ed looped his arm around her waist and gave her a squeeze. "It will." He was still worried, and he wouldn't stop, he knew, until Tore was located unharmed and they had a chance to talk things out. However, until then, at least it felt like something he had made a decision about, which at least gave him the illusion that the situation was not out of his control. And that, he supposed, would have to do for now.

**June 12****th****, 1961**

"You almost done?"

Tore looked up at Graves, who had poked his head into the barn where Tore was mucking out stalls. "Last one," he assured him with a tired grin.

"Good," Graves nodded. "Finished the South field. Too bad it's almost dinner time or we could go for a ride."

"Yeah, that's too bad," Tore agreed before Graves vanished again from the window. When his friend was gone, Tore let himself wince. It wasn't that he hadn't enjoyed his first two lessons at riding a horse, but they'd left him awfully sore in some interesting places! There _were_, it seemed, muscles that sparring practice didn't work out very much. He also wasn't used to the jostling.

Tore got back to work, knowing that he'd need a full shower before dinner if he didn't want to stink of cow, horse, manure, dust, and his own sweat. He'd worked up a good hard sweat every day so far, and gone to bed sore every night. But it was a good kind of tired. Followed with good food and good company, he was starting to feel rather at home.

Tore had been at the Hopkins farm a full week, and he had surprised himself with how much he enjoyed it. Not that there weren't moments of frustration. There was a hell of a lot he didn't know, but he was learning fast.

A brown horse with a black mane and tail was a bay. The red ones were chestnuts. Black ones were…black. Walking behind a horse or cow's rear end if it didn't know you were there was a bad idea. Pigs bite. Fortunately, the safety rules were given as advance warnings and Tore managed not to learn them the hard way.

He now knew how to plow a field, groom a horse, milk a cow, muck a stall, and weed a vegetable patch. The last was a little more complicated than Mrs. Elric's garden because he had to learn which was a weed and which _wasn't_ when the plants were still growing!

Tore had also used alchemy to fix a hole in the barn roof, a fifty foot stretch of old pasture fence that had been getting rickety, fixed the old wiring out to the few lights in the barn, and some of the water pipes underground leaning to the house that needed replacing. These things had saved the Hopkins' a lot of time and money, and he knew Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins were grateful.

Most evenings Tore hung out with Graves. If he stayed home, they all hung out in the living room. Mrs. Hopkins liked the radio and embroidering. Mr. Hopkins liked playing cards. Anita, Tore noticed, would sit quietly and read a book or embroider the way her mother did.

When they went out, Tore and Graves usually ended up at the bar a few miles down the road. As promised, that was where most of the single crew around Graves' age hung out. Which meant on any given night there were at least six to ten guys and girls between the ages of eighteen to twenty-three hanging out. The married ones tended to stay home. Tore had been, briefly, surprised to think about the fact that several of Graves' friends were married already, but then he thought about Aldon and Cassie, and remembered that marrying young was more common outside the cities.

He also learned fast that when women thought he was eighteen and new to the area, they were _very _interested! Keeping certain details out or vague, Tore regaled them with stories of city life and some of his adventures. It only took a couple of small demonstrations of basic transmutations – a napkin into an intricately folded paper flower for example – for them to believe every word. Two in particular, Melanie and Phelia, seemed to find him fascinating. Which was fine, since they didn't have boyfriends. Knowing he could be treading on precarious ground though; Tore hadn't tried to make it look like he had a preference in either direction. Not that they weren't both gorgeous!

A creak of the barn door made Tore turn his head and get another pitchfork full of dirty sawdust into the wheelbarrow. He relaxed a little when he saw who it was.

Anita stopped, the lead rope limp in her hand. "Oh. I didn't…realize you were still here." She blushed slightly. It seemed to be her usual reaction when she came upon him unexpectedly or he spoke to her directly.

Tore grinned. "It's all right. There's room for at least two people." He gestured at the mostly empty barn, hoping she'd relax.

She chuckled softly. "I guess so." She crossed to where the tack hung and put the rope away. As she passed him Tore noticed that her backside was covered in dirt.

"How's training that two-year-old coming?" He asked curiously. He had been trying all week to make conversation, and this was the first time she hadn't run away.

"All right," she said as she turned around. "He only tossed me twice today."

Tore winced. He hadn't even come off yet, but he wasn't looking forward to the day a horse decided it didn't want him on its back. "Are you okay?" he asked, a little concerned.

"Oh I'm fine," Anita gave him the most startling bright smile. It made her more than just passing pretty. "Sunny's not a bad colt, he's just spirited."

Tore finished the last scoop and came out of the stall, taking off the work gloves he had borrowed from Mr. Hopkins. They had saved his hands from what otherwise would have been some painful blisters. "I noticed," he smiled, stopping not too far from her. "You've got dirt on your nose."

Anita's hand flew to her face and she went scarlet red. "Oh. That's okay. I-"

Tore grinned and pulled a handkerchief – borrowed from Mrs. Hopkins – out of his pocket. "It's okay. I'll get it." He reached out and, as Anita hesitantly lowered her hand, he gently wiped the large gray splotch off her face.

Anita looked him straight in the eyes for several seconds before she seemed to realize she was doing it, and looked down sharply. Almost at once she bent down. "You dropped your wallet," she commented, picking it up.

It must have fallen out of his pocket when he'd pulled out the handkerchief. "Oh, Thanks." Tore looked down as she stood. It had fallen open, and a picture of Charisa had slipped out. Tore waited as she looked at the picture for several long moments, then tucked it in, closed his wallet and handed it back.

"She's beautiful," Anita commented. "Who is she? Your….girlfriend?"

Tore's stomach twisted. "No," he answered honestly. He was pretty sure that, whatever he was to Charisa now, she was mad enough that dating him again would never happen. "She's my best friend." He put the wallet back in his pocket, glad none of the other pictures had fallen out. Then he sat down on the nearest seat – a bale of hay against the low stall walls.

Anita looked bemused. "Your best friend's a girl?"

"Well yeah," Tore replied, feeling slightly irritated. "Is there anything wrong with that?"

"No," Anita shook her head at once, looking like she feared she'd offended him. "It's just… unusual."

Tore grinned. "I guess so." It certainly did seem to be someplace as traditional as the farm community around the village of Koban; the name of the place forty miles from the farm.

Anita sat down tentatively next to him on the hay bale. "You're different."

"Thanks, I think."

Anita fidgeted. "I mean, from boys… around here."

This was the most he had heard her say all week. Tore didn't want her to stop now. "Go on."

"Well, you don't… tease. You're nice and not… not rough or …anything." She giggled softly. "I was told city men weren't different or…were meaner. But you're not."

Tore wasn't sure how to take the compliment. He smiled, feeling a little abashed. "Well I'm just one," he pointed out. "I guess guys are just kind of, well, guys. I'm just me."

"Well I like just you…" As soon as the words came out Anita's face blushed scarlet again. "I mean I… well I…"

Tore put a hand out, letting it touch the one she had on the bale between them. "You mean what you said." He'd wondered. He was used to girls being attracted to him. It had been happening for over three years. It was just kind of cute to see this kind of shyness in a girl the age he was now. She wasn't glamorous or gorgeous, she didn't dress stylishly, but there was a simple prettiness to Anita that was missing in a lot of the girls he'd gone to school with. The innocence was refreshing. "May I kiss you?" He wasn't entirely sure why he asked, except that he had the feeling that doing anything without prior warning would send the poor girl into fits.

The last blush hadn't faded yet. Anita's eyes went wide, but she nodded slowly.

Tore smiled and leaned in, brushing his lips lightly against hers, then a little more solidly when she didn't faint or leap away. Her response was timid but not fearful. After a couple of seconds she seemed to warm to it. He didn't push his luck. After a few more seconds Tore sat back, looking for her reaction.

Anita opened her eyes, and her lips twitched as she seemed to be absorbing the sensation. "I…I've never…."

"I know," Tore smiled, relieved that she wasn't going to cry or panic. "Was it all right?"

"It was…amazing," Anita replied slowly, then she seemed to come to herself, bounding to her feet with surprising speed. "I… I'm supposed to be helping Mom with dinner! I've got to go. Umm…thanks Tore I…." Then she shook herself again and hurried out of the building.

Tore watched her go, a feeling of bemusement creeping over him. It was a rather unique reaction. He'd never flustered a girl like that before. Though he had to admit, he thought as he stood up again and headed in to wash up, he really wouldn't mind doing it again.


	5. Chapter 5

**June 13****th****, 1961**

Upon waking, it took Lia nearly a full minute to remember where she was. She had stepped out of Ethan's room for the now-routine evening bathroom and tea break while the doctors saw to most of Ethan's more unpleasant care. Tired, she had lain down on the couch in the break room for just a minute. Or at least, she had thought so. The morning sunlight told her that she had slept much longer than planned.

_Oh no, Ethan!_ Sitting up sharply, Lia felt a light blanket fall off of her onto the floor. Someone had covered her in the night and left her to sleep. Getting up, she hurried out of the room and down the hall. How could she have been away so long? A clock on the wall showed it was already nine in the morning. She had been asleep for twelve hours!

The door to Ethan's room was closed. Lia had just put her hand on the handle when she saw Doctor Yamato coming down the hallway. ::If I could have a moment, Miss Swanson,:: he said when he saw her.

::I… all right.:: Lia stopped, panic flooding her. ::What is it?::

::There's something you should know before you go in,:: Yamato said softly.

Lia felt her heart sink. She wasn't ready for more bad news. ::What is it?::

::There was a rather dramatic turn last night,:: Yamato continued. ::Ethan's fever spiked to a hundred and five around midnight.::

::Oh no! Is he all right? What…:: Had he? Lia faltered.

::You could let me finish,:: Yamato smirked, though not unkindly. ::It was a long night, but Saito and I are both convinced that this was likely the worst of it. His temperature dropped this morning below 101 for the first time and is currently right about 100 degrees. The antibiotics finally seem to be having a real effect. In short: we expect him to live.::

That was _good _news. Lia was momentarily stunned; still groggy obviously from her first long sleep since Ethan had fallen ill. ::That's wonderful!::

Finally, Yamato smiled. ::He regained consciousness briefly earlier, and he is awake now. We've lowered the lights to account for the sensitivity of his eyes.::

Lia could hardly hold still. Her need to see Ethan only increased. ::May I go in?::

::Of course you may,:: Yamato chuckled. ::Just remember that he's still very ill.::

::I understand,:: Lia nodded. But the mere fact that the doctors expected Ethan to live was a bright piece of hope she had desperately needed. ::Thank you.:: Opening the door, she entered the dim room.

At the moment there was no one else inside, though it was clear that changes had happened over night. There was now a pitcher and a cup along with the bucket of water for cooling Ethan's forehead. The IV was still in his arm.

The biggest difference, of course, was the half-open golden eyes that peered blearily across the room at her. "Hi." Ethan's voice was creaky, a painful rasp, but after nearly two weeks it was the most beautiful sound Lia had ever heard.

Tears filled her eyes and she crossed the room, forcing herself to sit down instead of grabbing Ethan up in a hug the way she really wanted. He looked too fragile for it. She settled for squeezing his hand. "Hi," she replied almost as softly. "How do you feel?"  
Ethan smiled weakly. "Terrible."

Lia couldn't help the laugh that bubbled from somewhere inside, one of slightly manic relief. "Sorry. I've just been so worried about you." The tears falling down her face felt soft against her skin.

Ethan's expression was briefly alarmed. "I… they haven't said…. How long?" He finally managed to get out a question.

"Thirteen days," Lia replied, reaching up and gently pushing a limp lock of hair out of his eyes.

Ethan closed his eyes for a moment, then looked up at her and smiled again. "No wonder… you look… tired."

Lia smiled back. "I've been too afraid," she admitted softly. Now that the worst was past, she could say it. "If I fell asleep and you… well, I'd never forgive myself."

"I'm still here," Ethan's hand twitched, obviously trying to squeeze back but lacking the strength.

"I know." Lia responded. "And Yamato and Saito say you're going to make it."

"So why all the tears?" Ethan chuckled, then coughed and lay still again.

"Because I'm happy," Lia smiled.

Ethan shook his head ever so slightly, groaning quietly. "Don't cry. Save it for…the wedding."

At that, Lia really did start giggling through the tears. "Hopefully I'll be able to keep better control by then."

"I'm sorry I…made you cry," Ethan replied, his expression sad. On his gaunt, haggard face the expression was particularly heart breaking.

"It's not like you got sick on purpose," Lia replied. "But maybe now you'll listen to me when I tell you to take care of yourself."

There was a flash of guilt in Ethan's eyes that made her sorry she had spoken, but then he smirked. "What for? I've got you."

Lia shook her head. "Incorrigible."

::A good sign at this stage,:: Doctor Saito chuckled as he entered the room. He looked tired but imminently pleased. ::I'm glad you're still awake, Ethan. It will save me the time if I can talk to you both at once.::

::I won't be up long,:: Ethan joked, but Lia could tell that he was telling the truth. His eyes kept drooping shut.

::I'll keep it brief,:: Saito chuckled. ::Especially since most of this should sound familiar. Anyway, at this point I want you drinking and eating orally again. We've kept you hydrated as best we can, but you need some real food in your system for the energy you need. You didn't have much reserve to begin with.::

Ethan snorted but nodded. ::No problem. I'm starving.::

::Good,:: Saito said. ::We'll start with soft foods, but as soon as you can handle it we'll give you something a little heartier. I just want to make sure it stays down first. We'll keep up the medication now that your body seems to be responding properly. Hopefully we can keep your temperature down this time.::

Lia hoped they could get the fever to break. That would happen when Ethan's body finally fought off the virus though; however much longer that took. ::What about movement? Can he get up at all?::

She was surprised when it was Ethan who answered, shaking his head. ::I don't have the strength,:: he admitted.

::It'll come back,:: Lia stroked his hand, keeping hold of him.

::That's it for the time being,:: Saito continued. ::Sleep when you want and we'll continue to monitor your vitals. We'll assess long term damage when the disease has run its course.::

::Understood,:: Ethan nodded. ::No point in doing it sooner.::

There was little Lia could do but nod.

Saito made a note on the chart he was carrying and looked up at Ethan. ::Is there anything else?::

::Well, I feel pretty disgusting,:: Ethan smirked.

Saito nodded. ::I'm sure we can see about a sponge bath.::

::Sponge bath?:: Ethan looked over at Lia. ::I don't know about…that.::

Saito was grinning as he looked up. ::Would you prefer Miss Swanson handle that part of your treatment.::

Lia blushed slightly, but couldn't help giggling at Ethan's expression. She had the feeling that he would prefer that to one of the nurses, but was almost as embarrassed to give her that much access at the moment. ::You can handle the sensitive parts,:: she promised.

Ethan relaxed a little. ::All right then.::

Saito nodded and turned to go. ::Breakfast and bathing supplies will be here shortly then. It's good to see you smile.::

::It's nice to be conscious to do so,:: Ethan chuckled as the doctor left the room. When he left, Ethan closed his eyes again and relaxed into the pillows.

Lia waited for nearly a minute, until she wondered if he had fallen asleep again. "Ethan?"

"I'm here," he replied softly. "Just tired." His stomach growled audibly. "And hungry," he added.

"Well you can't fall asleep yet, not with a real meal coming," Lia stroked his head with her right hand.

"Right," Ethan's eyes cracked open again. "Can you do me…a favor?"

Lia nodded. "Anything."

"Call my parents. Tell them… I'm gonna be okay."

"All right," Lia nodded, standing reluctantly. "I'll be right back."

"Good," Ethan smiled. "I'll be here."

His words bolstered her as Lia stepped out the door again. Yes, Ethan would still be here. That was all that mattered.

* * *

A weight had lifted. Edward felt lighter all over ever since Lia's call that morning. Ethan would live. He was still very ill, but he was no longer close enough to kick death in the teeth. Lia hadn't known when Ethan would be declared well enough for travel, but right now even Ed agreed that didn't matter as much as that he _did_ recover.

He could see it in Winry's face too; relief that her youngest would come home again, that they hadn't come so close to his return only to lose him forever. She hummed as she sat at the dining room table with Rockbell Auto-mail's books, going over numbers and part orders after dinner. Ed paused in the kitchen doorway after finishing the dishes, watching her work diligently away, her hair down after a long day; thin-rimmed reading glasses sitting on her nose. He blinked, startled for a moment. She'd been wearing them for years now. Maybe it was just that he'd gotten used to them, but he was always surprised when he actually noticed they were there. This was Winry; she was beautiful no matter how old they got. Sixty-two might as well be twenty-five.

Not that Ed wanted to admit that twenty-five year olds looked like kids to him now. Winry would just always be perfect. Her hair was mostly lighter now, though just a paler golden yellow. She still wore it long, often pulled back. No, the style hadn't changed much. Her style of dress was still classic, though trendy. Ed had to admit he missed the short skirts, but no self-respecting woman their age would walk around dressed like that. A shame really given how well she took care of herself.

"You're staring, Edward." Blue eyes twinkled as Winry glanced over at him.

Ed blinked then laughed. "Hard not to," he admitted as he crossed the room and slipped his arms around her from behind, wrapping them around her shoulders.

Winry chuckled. "Now I know you're feeling better. You haven't felt like flirting lately."

"I hadn't noticed," Ed admitted. He'd been so wrapped up in worries, he supposed that made sense. "Are you mad at me?"

"No," Winry turned her head around a little, smiling over her shoulder. "Just glad to see you smile again."

Ed took advantage of her movement and kissed her briefly. "My students seemed to think I was in too-good of a mood today too," he chuckled. "They got trounced worse than they have in a while." One of the less experienced State Alchemists had been bold enough to comment on Edward's improved mood and focus earlier.

"Good for them, I think," Winry shook her head, amused. "I'm glad you had a good day. Things were pretty busy at the shop today; good busy."

"Glad to hear it," Ed gave her a squeeze. "Hopefully we'll get more good news soon."

"I'm sure we will," Winry replied, though the softening of her expression said she knew full well that Ed would continue to worry about Ethan until he was home, and that he was probably still worried about Tore. "Did you need something?"  
"No, just a hug," Ed chuckled, kissing her again before standing up. "Sorry I interrupted your work." He had just gotten good news; he didn't want to talk about the rest of it right now.

"You're hardly ever an inconvenience anymore," Winry assured him.

"Hardly, anymore," Ed eyed her. "Are you implying that I have ever inconvenienced you?"

Winry chuckled. "Well for at least twenty-seven months of my life."

Twenty-sev…. Ed groaned. "Hey, we were equally responsible for all three incidences of that!"

"The question was about inconvenience, not responsibility," Winry replied, looking back down at the paperwork.

"And it wasn't an inconvenience to me?" Edward asked.

"Not unless you're a seahorse."

She had him there. Grinning, Ed continued on through the living room. "If I were, it wouldn't have been an inconvenience then would it?"

Winry smiled. "Thank you, Ed. You just proved my point."

Had he? Damn. Ed shook his head as he stepped around the corner. "You're welcome. I must be losing my touch."

"No Ed," Winry sounded softly pleased, "Not at all."

**June 20****th****, 1961**

_I can't believe they talked me into this. Okay, maybe I can. _Tore sat on one side of the table in the bar room. Graves' longest-time friend, Marty, sat on the other side, grinning over the empty shot glasses already between them. The night had started out regularly enough. Tore was used to hanging out here with Graves and his friends, having a drink or two, playing pool – he was getting pretty good – or cards – where he was getting to the point where he won a lot of the time. Bluffing was something he was good at.

This was a different challenge. Marty had noticed, to Tore's annoyance, that Tore didn't drink much; a couple of beers sure, but that was it. Next thing Tore knew it was a bet that it was because Tore was a featherweight and couldn't handle it, and they were sitting across from each other like they were now.

_This guy doesn't know what he's talking about._ Okay, so perhaps if he hadn't already been a little tipsy Tore would have stood down, but he doubted it. This was a challenge he was going to take and win. _If I'm still conscious when it's over._

Fortunately Marty was a pretty average sized guy, or Tore would have been in serious trouble from the start. As it was, they were each four shots into some local liquor that burned hot yet somehow had a smooth texture and hit like a punch with an auto-mail arm. _Thank goodness all I have to do is match him._ There were four more shots in front of each of them. Tore just hoped he could hold out that long. He was already feeling it; though right now it was not an unpleasant sensation. Tore had never felt so relaxed, so energized by the crowd; confident. It was like his senses had reached a whole new level.

"I'm impressed," Marty snickered as he picked up his next shot. "I thought you'd have passed out by now."

"Not even," Tore laughed, reaching for the next one. Yeah, he was feeling pretty good. This wasn't so hard.

"You can beat him, Tore," Melanie grinned. The pretty brunette was standing just behind him and in his peripheral vision he could see her excitement.

Her cheerleading was enough encouragement. Down the hatch went one more on both sides, then two. He was definitely starting to reel a little, but he couldn't really find that he cared. _Okay, so I'm drunk. I don't see the big deal. _

"Giving up yet?" Marty challenged. He didn't look much better off than Tore, though he was obviously trying to look it.

"Not a chance," Tore laughed. "You're gonna owe me when tonight's over." The bet was a decent sum and the cost of the drinks covered if he could just match him. This was some really strong stuff though.

"You know no one else has ever matched Marty on this stuff," Graves warned him quietly under the general din of the room and the excited chatter behind them. The place was full tonight. "His Dad's the one who brews it."

Tore nodded. "Figures." But he only had to make it two more drinks. Besides, he really couldn't afford to lose the sens. He looked down at the last two glasses, mildly worried when they looked a little fuzzy and wobbly. _That's… not good._ He wasn't going to cheat out of it with alchemy either. He wasn't that subtle and he wasn't entirely sure he had the trick right for neutralizing alcohol in something. He picked up the next glass, saluted Marty, and downed it.

Match for match; that was all. That was good. Tore was figuring out quickly that he didn't want to try and beat him at this and was lucky they'd set a limit. One more, just one. Tore picked it up, staring at it for a long second. It, along with his hand, split in two, then four, before reconsolidating.

Then there was a whisper in his ear. It was Melanie again. "You can do it. Take Marty down a rung. None of the other guys here have ever made it past seven." Tore had just tied them. Tore could understand Melanie's stake in this; Marty was her cousin.

No one. "There's a first time for everything, babe," he grinned. Tore turned his focus back to Marty. "You lose," he replied and downed the last glass. As the burning trail hit his stomach, and the alcohol his head, Tore heard everyone around him cheering. Then he felt himself spun on his stool and Melanie's lips were clamping on his!

Whistles and hollers were ignored as he soaked in the feel of the heat of her body, the exhilaration running through him. All too soon it seemed, Melanie was stepping back, though she winked at him.

Tore turned as Marty leaned over the table and smacked down a pile of sens. "I really figured I had you on this one, man." He didn't look any more sober than Tore felt, but at least he was a good loser.

"You almost did," Tore admitted, laughing as he pocketed his winnings and stood. He paused, placing one hand on the table as the world seemed to spin a little. _Steady up there. It would look really stupid if you fell over. _ Maybe a little fresh air was in order.

Fortunately Graves seemed to have the same idea. "We should get going," he said, giving Tore a friendly light shove in the back. "It's a long walk back and we've still got to tackle the lower fields tomorrow."

There were generally assenting murmurs through the crowd. It was late and apparently farmers did not believe in weekends the way city folks did. Tore followed Graves, though he snickered when his friend tripped a little going out the door. "Are you any more sober than I am?" he asked with a teasing snicker.

Graves straightened up and grinned back. "Maaay…nah, not really."

Together they stumbled home through the dark.

* * *

By the time they got back to the farmhouse, Tore's head had cleared a little. But then, a few miles of walking would do that. Graves seemed to be a little more sober too, though he was still going on about Tore's _amazing feat!_ "The best part," he smirked as they entered the farmhouse, "Was Melanie's reaction. Man what any guy – except Marty of course – wouldn't have given for a piece of that action!"

"A piece of what action?"

Tore, mouth open to respond to Graves, turned and spotted Anita standing at the bottom of the stairs with a cup of tea and a book, giving them a curious look that was turning quickly to irritation. "Oh…it was nothing."

"Well you both smell like a brewery." Anita's nose wrinkled in distaste.

"Nothing?" Graves stared at Tore, then laughed and slapped him on the back again. "Too modest. If Melanie kissed me like that I'd be singing it to the skies!"

_Shut up idiot! _But it was too late. As Tore watched Anita's eyes went wide with shock. Then she spun on her heel and vanished into the kitchen.

Graves looked after her with a bemused expression then shrugged. "Sisters; there's just no understanding them." He turned and headed for the stairs. "I'm gonna crash. See you tomorrow, lucky dog!"

"See you." Tore watched Graves vanish upstairs, then turned and headed for the kitchen. _He_ knew why Anita was upset, even if Graves was clueless. Anita wasn't in the kitchen, but the back door was open and in the moonlight he thought he saw the silhouette of someone sitting at the edge of the hill that led down to the barn. Tore crossed the ground quietly. "Anita?"

A sniffle stopped suddenly and she looked up at him, startled, before frowning. "Did you want something?" Her tone was surprisingly cool.

Tore nodded. "Yeah. Can I sit down?"

She took a long time replying. "Go ahead."

Tore dropped to the ground next to her. "Look, I'm sorry. What Graves said…well it's not what you think."

"Did you kiss her?" Anita asked softly.

"She kissed me," Tore replied, knowing that it didn't sound like much of a difference. "I didn't ask her to. I wasn't expecting it. She just _did_ it." _Though please don't ask me if I enjoyed it._

Anita didn't look as if she believed him. "She just kissed you?"

"It was a bet against her cousin, Marty," Tore nodded, trying to give enough detail to make the point without looking bad. "I won and she was glad I beat him I guess."

From the comprehension in Anita's eyes, she at least knew Marty and Melanie and seemed to believe him. "Did you try and stop her?"

Tore sighed. "It didn't last that long. Look, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't hit on her. I didn't kiss her on purpose. She pretty well through herself at me. We left right after." He really hadn't expected Anita to find out – he hadn't given it any thought really – let alone react so jealously. He knew she was hurt; that she liked him.

Anita sat for another minute, sipping her tea, but she seemed mollified. "Apology accepted," she finally replied. "I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. You really didn't seem the type, so I should have asked."

"Type?" Tore looked at her in askance.

"You know," Anita fidgeted and Tore thought she might be blushing. "One of those playboy types; so many of the boys around here are shallow. They don't want one girl; they don't even care if they stick with one girl. They just want to go out, make out and….well, you know." Now Tore was sure she was blushing despite how much the bright moonlight washed out the color around them. "But you're not like them. There's…there's more to you than that. You're thoughtful and you actually have thoughts and opinions and ideas. You're already more than they'll ever be."

Her words were beginning to make Tore distinctly uncomfortable. "I'm flattered," he replied finally. "I'm not sure I deserve the praise." _Just ask the girls in Central. Ask Charisa. Hell, ask Fullmetal. He'd be glad to catalog my faults for you._

Now Anita giggled as she stood up, her cup empty and book tucked back under her arm. "See what I mean? You should drink some water before bed."

Tore blinked as he managed, a little wobbly, to get to his feet. "Water?" He wasn't particularly thirsty.

"Just trust me," Anita replied as she walked back inside.

Tore stared after her for nearly a minute before he realized he hadn't actually moved, and then went inside. Tonight had been much more eventful than planned. It was time for a good night's sleep.

**June 21****st****, 1961**

_It would be kinder if I were dead._

Tore managed not to groan too loudly as he buried his head under his pillow. The sun was just barely peaking over the horizon, but it's rays coming into the bedroom were still bad enough that his light-sensitive head pounded worse. His stomach was flipping back and forth as if someone was playing tennis with it, and rising nausea threatened to send him out of bed running for the toilet at any second. _If I thought I'd make it. The window might be closer. Oooooh… maaaaaan. _So _this_ was a hangover.

_They talk about drinking to forget. What they really mean is until they forget they'll be hung over if they drink more. _How could anyone do this to themselves on a regular basis?

There was a knock at the door. "Tore, breakfast." It was Anita.

Tore gave a non-committal grunt and hoped she left him alone. The very idea of breakfast was abhorrent and just turned his sour stomach worse. He could just imagine how much worse this might be if he hadn't had a couple of glasses of water last night, responding to Anita's suggestion even though he, in his drunk state, had completely forgotten any common sense knowledge he had on the subject. _Of course_ he should have been drinking water! This morning it made perfect sense. He probably should have eaten something too. Dinner has been light and well before the heavy drinking started.

"Tore?"

Apparently she hadn't heard him. "Not hungry," he managed after lifting the pillow just enough to be heard.

"Don't be ridiculous," Anita replied. "You can't work without breakfast."

_She knows,_ Tore realized. She had to be fully aware of just how much he was suffering at this moment. "Fine," he replied, then buried himself again until he heard her footsteps going back downstairs. A minute later he heard dragging footsteps that he guessed was Graves heading down to eat.

With a sigh, Tore slowly rolled over and sat up. It would be poor thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins if he didn't put in his full day's work. He wouldn't blame them for docking him the days pay either. He could plead sick, but given the cause that seemed a coward's way out. _I'm going to regret this either way, might as well be polite._

He managed to get dressed and relieve himself without vomiting, though one look in the upstairs bathroom mirror told Tore he looked as lousy as he felt. He had never actually looked _green_ before.

Downstairs, breakfast was proceeding pretty much as usual. Mr. Hopkins was reading the paper and drinking coffee. Mrs. Hopkins had a hot breakfast on the table of griddle cakes, sausages, eggs, toast, and the huge carafe of coffee that seemed to be going quickly.

The smell, which would normally be appealing and have Tore drooling until he could dig in, had no such responses today. Swallowing, he sat down at his usual spot between Mr. Hopkins and Graves who, aside from looking a bit blood-shot, was drinking his coffee and half way through eggs and sausage. _How does he do it?_

Anita was cool towards both of them, focused on her own breakfast and conversing with her mother, who gave both Tore and Graves knowing looks, but said nothing. Tore had gotten used to Mrs. Hopkins not criticizing on some things, or at least keeping opinions to herself. He couldn't imagine she was particularly pleased with their late return, but they were adults and she treated them as such most of the time.

Mr. Hopkins, Tore noticed, gave them slightly amused sideways glances and otherwise continued as if the morning was normal. _He probably used to do the same thing,_ Tore realized. At one point all the stuffy adults he knew had been teenagers and twenty-somethings. Had they all had mornings like this? He just couldn't picture it with some of them. Others… well he supposed he could see it. Obviously it was easier with the military officers and soldiers that frequented the parties and barbecues of the backyards of Central that he had gotten used to. They still drank, just more responsibly. _I think I get why. _

Tore took a couple of pieces of toast with butter and a cup of coffee, by the end of both he felt slightly better but decided not to risk too much on an iffy stomach.

"That all you're having?" Graves grinned at him. "It's going to be a long day."

"I'll be fine until lunch," Tore replied, refusing to rise to the bait. By lunch time he was sure the worst would be over. _If it's not, well, it's my own fool fault, isn't it?_

**July 6****th****, 1961**

"So they're really letting you out in a few days?" Edward asked eagerly over the phone. It was the first time he'd gotten to speak with Ethan directly in far too long and he'd been thrilled to pick up the phone and hear his son's voice on the other end of the line!

"Yep," Ethan replied, his voice sounded tired but upbeat. "I'm still recovering some, but the disease is licked and they figure traveling on a train as long as we've got a comfortable birth isn't going to be any more strenuous than spending a month in my apartment." That was how long the trip back to Central would take.

"Better make sure it's got a good bed then," Ed smiled. "But there's not much to do on a train but sleep and talk anyway is there?"

"And eat," Ethan chuckled. "I've been starving for days."

"That's good for you though," Ed laughed. "You've got to get your strength up after all."

"Right," Ethan agreed. There was a slight hesitation, but Ed suspected it was because of the facts Ed had actually gotten from Lia. A couple of weeks without solid food and even Ed knew Ethan would have lost a good bit of mass he didn't have available to lose in the first place. He was built too much like Ed. "Don't worry, Lia's making sure I stay fed."

"I'm sure she is." Edward had always liked Lia, even when she and Ethan were just kids running around the house. Now he couldn't be more grateful for the lovely young woman who was willing to care for him through such a tough time. "Seems like someone has to. You rest up and everything will be ready for you when you get here, okay?"

"Sure thing, Dad," Ethan replied. "Well, the doctor's coming, I need to go. Give my love to Mom."

"I will," Ed promised. "Talk to you later." He just couldn't say goodbye. Not after such a near thing.

"Thanks, Dad." Then there was another moment's delay pause and the line disconnected.

* * *

"You didn't tell him," Lia commented as she hung up the phone for Ethan.

Ethan looked up into his fiancée's eyes and felt a twinge of guilt. "I couldn't," he admitted. "He sounded so glad to hear from me… and it'll be easier in person. It won't seem nearly as bad, and I'll have another month's recovery." There was no reason for his parents to worry needlessly.

Lia shook her head slightly, her expression sad and a little disappointed. "You won't be fully recovered by then, Ethan."

::She's right,:: Doctor Saito commented as he joined the conversation. ::You will be weak for some time. I have already arranged for a copy of your medical records and my recommendations for further treatment to be in Central before you arrive. I've sent it out today.::

::Thank you,:: Ethan replied. That meant Ren would have it a few days before he got there. He had, of course, listed her as his primary choice of physician for this. Full rehabilitation would take months given the type of long-term damage this disease could do and, though not as badly as it could have, had done to Ethan. ::I'll want to get started as soon as I get back.::

::Don't push yourself,:: Saito replied sternly. ::The exercises we discussed that are fine for the trip should be all you attempt. No more until you get a good looking over on the other end.::

::Don't worry,:: Lia replied, giving Ethan a warning look that dared him to disagree. ::I'll make sure of it.::

Even if he had the strength, Ethan knew he wouldn't argue with Lia, not on this, and not with that determined expression!

**July 15****th****, 1961**

The local mid-summer fair was apparently a really big deal. Not that this surprised Tore, having some idea of how big the festivals in Resembool were from stories and pictures. So he was actually looking forward to it. For once, very little work on the farm got done. The fields were all plowed, sowed, and growing. Gardens were overflowing, and everyone took some time off for some fun and games and food.

They rode in the Hopkins' beat-up old farm truck the fifteen miles to the fairgrounds, with Mrs. Hopkins driving, Mr. Hopkins beside her, and the rest of them sitting in the back on a loose bed of straw that took away only a little of the jostling and rattling that Tore felt all the way through by the time they arrived.

The grounds were a huge clearing just beyond the woods to the South, with a couple of large animal sheds, and plenty of room for temporary stands and tables. There was a ring for events like bull riding and calf roping, horse pulls, even wrestling apparently, and a straight area along the road marked off for horse races and foot races later.

Not that Tore was entering any events. He just came for the fun. And it was definitely fun! There were plenty of local foods to taste, a few homebrews worth a sip, and _watching_ the competitions was fun and often hilarious.

There were games for the young, and not so young, with all sorts of prizes. Nothing fancy or expensive, but all locally made or grown and so Tore knew that, to the people here, that meant more than anything that could have been brought in from elsewhere. They were proud of what they could do on their own.

At least, Tore hadn't _planned_ on entering a competition! He was just sitting down near the Hopkins to watch the wrestling when Marty and some of the other guys came on over. Marty was grinning. "Hey, Closson! What are you doing over here? The rest of us are entering. Don't tell me you're chicken?"

Anita, sitting between Tore and her mother, looked irritated. "You don't have to do it, Tore."

Tore managed not to sigh out loud. It wasn't that he was worried about losing. In fact, he was pretty sure he could take them two at a time in most fight situations. He _was_ the Fullmetal Alchemist's student after all. But then, none of these guys knew that. He grinned and shrugged. "Sure, why not? I haven't had a chance to loosen up for a while."

Marty snorted. "Well aren't you cocky for a short son-of-a-bitch?"

"Sure am," Tore countered easily. He stood up. "Can you hold this for me?" He asked Anita as he handed over the hotdog he had been about to scarf down. "I'll be back for it in a bit."

She looked forlornly after him, and Tore thought he knew why. They hadn't had any private moments recently aside from a stolen kiss in the barn several days back. Still he didn't dare say anything. Not with Graves also standing there, looking intrigued by Tore's response.

The competition was almost anticlimactic for Tore, even a little out of practice. All the farm work had built his muscles up in other ways, and wrestling was simple compared to some of the moves he knew. The competitions were set up with different age groups, then divided by size in those groups. Tore flattened first the guys his own size, then those in the next category. Next thing he knew he was standing in the ring with Marty on the other side, having flattened everyone else in two categories himself. Tore knew Marty had been sore about losing their last bet. "Hoping for a chance to win back a few sens?" He taunted lightly as he got ready to go again.

"Double last time's bet I pin you flat," Marty retorted.

Tore nodded. "Seems fair."

The fight was anything but fair. Marty was bigger than he was, and more solid, but Tore was just too well trained. He slipped out of Marty's first hold, got control, and pinned him in less than fifteen seconds.

The local crowd loved it!

Marty was glowering as Tore stood up after the winner was called. "I don't have the sens right now-"

He never got to finish. "Oh pay him Marty," Melanie sniffed, coming up to join the crowd standing around them both as the next match started. "Or I'll tell Vallie just why you can't take her out to dinner anymore cause you've got no money half the time."

"All right, all right," Marty shook his head at the mention of his fiancée. The one they almost never saw at the bar, Tore had noticed. Marty pulled out the sens, counted them out, and stuffed them into Tore's hand. "How the hell did you do that anyway?"

Tore shrugged as he pocketed the money. "Practice."

He was very fortunate that his name came up again to get ready for another round just then. Tore managed to separate himself from the guys and focus on the fights.

In the end, he won the under-30 age group hands down. His last match, a big hulking guy with some really good skill who had once been military before getting wounded a few years back, was quite the challenge, but Tore still beat him. The prize, another nice little pile of sens, two bottles of the local vintner's best wine, and a warm blue-and-white quilt made by old Mrs. Kinderton were worth it.

When it was done, Tore went to store his things in the inside of the truck where they'd be left alone.

"Well aren't you something else?"

He turned and found Melanie grinning at him. He shrugged. "I've had more training."

"I guess all the city alchemists get that kind of training," Melanie chuckled, coming up close to him. "You're stronger than I thought. Though I'd love to get a… closer look." Her breath brushed lightly across his ear and neck and there was a distinctly _interested _look in her eye that told Tore that what Melanie wanted was definitely more than a stolen kiss behind the barn!

So close, Melanie was impossible to ignore. She smelled, Tore noticed, lightly of perfume, and the top she wore accentuated her admirable cleavage which seemed designed to be ogled.

Lips; red lips, full and glistening were there, tempting. Tore felt his resistance crumbling like dry cake; not that he had much to begin with. Still he couldn't help but feel nervous. Was this it? It seemed so as she leaned against him.

"Hey Tore I- oh, sorry."

Tore jumped, not sure whether to be angry with Graves or glad to see him when he looked over Melanie's shoulder at the other guy, standing a few yards off looking amused more than anything. "Hey, it's all right, man," Tore shrugged, managing to smile back. "Melanie was just congratulating me on my win."

"Yeah, I see that," Graves chuckled. "Look I hate to interrupt, but Dad's about ready to head home. You wanna help me get the truck around and load the wheelchair? I'm gonna take him back then come back for the fireworks."

"Yeah, sure," Tore nodded, a little disappointed, but part of him also relieved. He had a sneaking suspicion Melanie would have figured out quickly just how inexperienced Tore was in certain areas. "Sorry," he stepped back away from Melanie. "Thanks though."

Melanie looked a little miffed but covered it quickly. "Sure," she replied with a little shrug and a smile. "Another time then."

"Right," Tore replied, smiling though keeping it non-committal.

As soon as Melanie was gone Graves slapped him on the back as they both climbed into the truck. "Sorry, Man! It looked like you were about to seriously score."

"Maybe," Tore said, making it sound like it hadn't been more than a kiss or something.

"Oh yeah, right." Graves apparently didn't buy it. "The way she was curled up around you?"  
"Well it obviously didn't get anywhere did it?" Tore replied, a little snippy.

"She's not one to give up once she sets her sights," Graves laughed as he drove over to where Mr. Hopkins was waiting. "Hope you like her. Or get ready for some dramatics if you try and turn her down."

_That _was what Tore was worried about.

* * *

Tore didn't feel like sitting in the stands for the fireworks. He wandered the fair until dark then found a spot under a tree behind one of the buildings that still had a clear view of the pond over which the fireworks would be shot. It was a nice, private little spot.

"Mind if I join you?"

Tore looked up to find Anita standing a bit back in the trees, shyly watching, her hands tucked behind her back. "I don't mind," he smiled. There was plenty of room.

Anita sat down next to him, her arms around her knees. "Did you have a good time today?"

"Yeah, it was great. My first country fair," Tore grinned. "Winning the wrestling wasn't bad either," he added with a chuckle.

"You were amazing," Anita said softly, blushing even in the moonlight. It was a cloudless night, perfect for fireworks.

Tore shook his head, hair falling in his face. He pushed it away. "Nah. I just have more training. Back home I get beat all the time."

Anita looked briefly disbelieving. "You're still better than almost anyone here," she pointed out after a moment of thought. "I was really impressed."

"Well, thanks," Tore smiled. He was never entirely sure what to say when Anita started complimenting him. He knew how to deal with more experienced girls. Her innocence was as mysterious as it was endearing. As he looked at her, the first of the fireworks went off, white and pink, casting light across her shyly smiling face. She made him feel differently than other girls. Not that he'd call it love or anything, but she saw him so differently from the girls back home. It made him want to be the straight-forward, noble, innocently intentioned person she thought he was.

Anita seemed to take his looking at her for something else. She blushed again and looked away, but glanced back at him sideways.

He had an idea she knew what she wanted. It was hard to find moments alone on the farm, and they'd only had a handful of stolen kisses. Tore leaned over and obliged, kissing her again as a bright golden explosion followed by two little blue ones split the air.

Anita leaned into him softly, then her arms went around his neck and she kissed him deeper, more daringly than she had in any of their brief interludes. She startled him and Tore almost lost his balance as he lost himself in the kiss. Maybe…she could learn after all.

"What the hell is going on here?!"

_Shit! Not good!_

Anita leaped backwards with a squeak, leaving Tore sprawled on the ground looking up at Graves, whose face looked beat red despite the pale light of the moon and the colored splashes of the fireworks going off above their heads. "Graves! I…." Anita scrambled to her feet, looked between them, squeaked, and ran off into the trees.

By the time Tore was on his knees Graves was looming over him. Not that Tore was intimidated. He could have taken Graves' legs out from under him from a sitting position any day. Not that Graves knew that. What worried him was the fury on his friend's face. "What are you playing at, Closson?"

Tore got calmly to his feet. _Keep your cool. Of course he's angry. You were kissing his little sister. This doesn't have to explode. _"I'm not playing at anything."

"You were kissing Nita!" Graves glowered. "I catch you kissing two girls in less than three hours and one of them is my _sister._ Don't give me this crap!"

Tore met his eyes with an even gaze. "Who said I have any interest in Melanie? Not me. She's the one doing the hunting and I wasn't kissing her earlier."

This was obviously not what Graves had been expecting to hear. His rage did not lessen however. "That doesn't excuse you messing around with my sister. I told you Dad's protective of her."

_Looks like he's not the only one. _"I haven't hurt her," Tore pointed out. "I haven't made her any promises or told her any lies. She's not a baby. Let her think for herself and live a little."

Maybe that wasn't the right thing to say. "Sure, you blow into town and act like you belong here; drawing the attention of the girls and proving your better than everybody else. But you're not from here. What have you got to lose? You can leave whenever you want! I'm not letting you break my sister's heart when you do. Cause you will. Or can you honestly tell me you want to settle down in this back-water hole for the rest of your life _alchemist?_"

Tore stood there, mouth half open, listening to Graves' tirade. The truth hurt.

"I didn't think so," Graves commented in response to Tore's silence. "Keep your lips and your hands off my sister if you want to keep them." With that, he turned and stormed off into the dark, leaving Tore standing alone and stunned beside the pond.

Above him, the fireworks continued; their beauty and noise holding the attention of everyone around. Everyone that was, except for a very small handful of people. Tore was sure the altercation had gone unnoticed. Not that it was much consolation.

Everything seemed less vibrant, and a twisting feeling in his stomach told Tore that this would not be easily fixed, and the situation might well get ugly before it got better. _If it gets better._ He wasn't so sure.


	6. Chapter 6

**July 18****th****, 1961**

"There you go girl," Tore unclipped the lead rope on the mare and sent her running out into the pasture. There, another day's work done. He wiped the sweat off his forehead with his forearm and leaned against the fence for a moment. He was in no hurry to go back to the house. Three days and Graves had not thawed toward him. Not that he was openly hostile around the family, but when they worked together he didn't joke anymore. Obviously Graves did not want his parents knowing what he had found their temporary hand doing with their darling little girl.

Anita hadn't spoken to him much either, though she seemed brave enough to do so around her parents. At least, if _please pass the butter_ counted as conversation. She avoided looking at Graves when she could, and so for Tore meals were awkward, with everyone acting normally for the most part, but knowing that Graves wanted to strangle him and Anita… well who knew what Anita thought.

Tore had given Graves words a lot of thought since that night. As much as he hated to admit it, he had a few points. Tore had never planned on staying. He would go crazy living here long term. Farming was fun for a while, but it was getting monotonous already and he knew that a year or two and he would be screaming to get out. Permanent ties and relationships would only make it harder to uproot and relocate, and well, he _was_ only sixteen. Fortunately actually, so was Anita. It would be a couple of years before anything binding could happen anyway, despite the fact no one here knew he wasn't a legal adult.

But that left him in a bind. He didn't want to hurt Anita's feelings; he never had, but she was clearly fond of him and while they had never said they were dating, sneaking around in corners and kissing sure looked like a surreptitious and romantic relationship in the making, a little too much of the flare of forbidden love for Tore's taste. If shy Anita was the romantic type, than he was in deeper than he had expected.

Tore straightened up and headed into the barn to hang up the lead rope. He couldn't avoid dinner forever. He went inside, hung up the rope and turned around to go inside.

Anita was standing in the doorway holding a feed bucket. She blushed and looked away. "I umm…I'm sorry. I didn't know you were here."

Tore sighed. "It's okay to talk to me," he said. "You didn't do anything wrong."

A slight flare of – was that anger – crossed Anita's face. "Not the way Graves tells it," she replied, sounding slightly bitter. Then she shook herself slightly and smiled at him. "I'm glad you're here. Graves is already up at the house."

_Which means you want to talk, doesn't it?_ He knew that expression. That, at least, was the same on any girl. "Okay."

Anita set the bucket down and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his chest before he could move or object. "He's being stupid, Tore," she said then. "I… I know you're too good for this place."

That was not what he was expecting. "What do you mean?"

Anita looked up at him. "I mean I want you to stay, but I know you probably won't. You're meant to do great things and that just doesn't happen around here."

Meant to do great things… _Oh Anita._ She really didn't know him at all did she? Tore straightened up and stepped back, his hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry, but you're right," he said. He couldn't hurt her more. The truth would do that. "I left home to help as many people as I could. Once your Dad doesn't need me here I'll be on my way to somewhere else. It's what alchemists are supposed to do. I never planned to stay, but I never thought it would be so hard to leave either."

Anita's face brightened as she understood his meaning. "Oh, Tore. Just… whenever you do go, please don't forget about me."

"I won't," Tore replied and that, at least, was entirely honest. "Who could? You're a country princess. The guys in the city would fall all over themselves for a sweet girl like you."

Tears budded in Anita's eyes, but she was smiling. She hugged him tightly again. "Thank you, Tore. That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."

For some reason, that just made Tore feel more like a cad. It was definitely time to get out of this place.

**July 20****th****, 1961**

"You're sure I can't talk you into staying?" Mr. Hopkins asked as Tore climbed out of the truck bed at the cross-roads two days later. Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins had driven him into town as soon as Anita and Graves had started farm work that morning. Mr. Hopkins had a doctor's appointment. Mrs. Hopkins was in the driver's seat.

"I'm afraid not, sir," Tore managed a smile as he put his backpack on, now fuller than when he had arrived in the area. "I appreciate everything you've done for me, but it's time I got going. Thanks for the work."

"Thanks for the help," Mr. Hopkins grinned from the passenger seat. "I wish we could find someone like you every season."

"I wish you luck in that," Tore smiled, and waved as they pulled away. Then he turned and took the road heading west out of town. He had a full day of walking ahead of him, and he could get through the next two towns by the end of it.

The road beckoned, and Tore tried to look at it as another adventure waiting to happen.

**August 8****th****, 1961**

Winry was amused by the change that had come over Edward. Every day she watched her husband spend every available moment getting the house ready for Ethan and Lia's return to Central. He talked about plans and the things that he and Ethan could do as soon as Ethan was up to it, and while he was recovering. The house got cleaned from top to bottom, minor repairs made, and gardening done. Winry knew Edward had run out of regular tasks when he started sorting through closets and cleaning the cellar just to have something to do with excess energy.

Not that she minded! Though Daia and Pir were both highly offended when they got the most thorough baths of their lives. Rapscallion avoided a bath only by being clever enough to hide on the roof. Still, it was a flurry of activity that had Winry wondering. Whenever they were both home Edward's every thought seemed to be for the boy that was coming home; Ethan; their son. Not once did he say a word about Tore.

Winry had told Edward to let Tore be and hope that he decided to come home on his own. So far though, that had yielded nothing; neither had any of the searching. Sciezka had found no traces of him. When she asked Ed about Tore he said little other than that he was sure the kid was fine. Then he would find a way to change the subject.

Winry wasn't fooled. Ed was still thinking about Tore a lot; she knew that. She would catch him re-straightening the boy's now immaculate room, or sitting and petting Tore's cat despite his protestations that the animal was a pain and a nuisance. To her, it was plain that Ed still felt guilty and somewhat responsible for Tore's disappearance. He was making it up to himself as best he could by preparing things for Ethan because Ethan, at least, was coming home.

Even Winry had to admit she was beginning to wonder if Tore would come back. It had been over two months without a word. No more news, not a phone call, not a letter. There hadn't even been a withdrawal from his bank account to give away a location. So every night Winry hoped, and even prayed, that Tore was safe and well. She was grateful too that Ethan was coming home. It didn't matter that he was now twenty-four years old. Ethan was still her little boy in her heart; the baby she had almost lost; the child whose auto-mail fingers she had so carefully crafted and attached to his little hand herself.

They may not get both young men back; but they still had one. Ethan had lived; so there was hope for the other. Winry suspected that was how Ed saw things. She wasn't sure she agreed, but she tried not to worry about boys who ran off and didn't send word.

She had a lot more practice at that than Ed did.

**August 10****th****, 1961**

Edward gave up on being patient as he stood on the ever familiar Central Station platform in the middle of the afternoon. He had specifically made sure he didn't have any classes this afternoon despite it being the middle of the week. Winry stood beside him, smiling and eager. Ethan and Lia's train had just pulled in, and it was all Ed could do not to board just to find them faster. It had been over two years since they left for Xing, two and a half since Edward had seen them before the end of their last semester in college.

The train took several minutes to empty, as usual, but the crowd began to thin and still Ed did not see Ethan or Lia anywhere in the crowd. "I wonder what's keeping them?"

"I'm sure they're coming as fast as they can," Winry replied, sounding far calmer than Ed expected she was.

"Well they're taking their sweet time. Maybe they're making out," Ed chuckled. He knew that wasn't any more or less likely than anything else.

"Oh really, Ed," Winry shook her head. "This is Ethan we're talking about."

"And they've spent two years living on the other side of the Continent," Ed pointed out with a playful grin.

Winry's retort died on her lips as Ed watched her eyes widen. "There they are!"

Ed turned, peering through the crowd before he finally recognized them. He felt a weird sinking sensation in his stomach. Lia was easily recognizable. He had almost missed Ethan entirely, because his son was sitting in a wheel chair. "He never said anything about a wheel chair."

"Probably because he knew we'd worry," Winry replied softly, stepping forward. "We knew he was weak, Ed."

"Yeah but…" Ed didn't finish the statement as he followed Winry. All he could think of was the fact that sometimes the disease left the person permanently damaged… paralyzed.

Lia and Ethan spotted them, and Ed felt a moment's relief as a broad smile spread across Ethan's thin face. Ed only had a moment to consider just how frail Ethan looked before the two couples met in the middle and there was that wonderful moment of uniting that involved half a dozen hugs and exclamations.

"I love your hair," Winry was grinning as she hugged Lia, who had her long blond hair twisted and put up in a Xingese style that looked really good on her.

"Thanks," Lia chuckled as they stepped back. "It was the easiest thing to do with it for work. They have this thing about hair being long and loose. They seem to think it distracts men."

The girls shared a laugh that Ed knew to be one of those _knowing_ things as they all headed towards the car. Lia insisting on pushing the wheel chair herself. Ed didn't argue. He knew better than to get between a female and the object of her protection, and Lia clearly wasn't about to leave Ethan's care to anyone else yet.

What bothered Edward was that Ethan looked like he had just gotten out of the sick bed Ed knew he had left behind over a month ago. There were a lot of details Ethan had left out of what happened. He was thinner than Ed had ever seen him, and a little sallow faced as if he hadn't spent any time in the sun lately. Being fair to begin with, he looked only a shade darker than translucent. His eyes were still sunken and he seemed to lack the energy and vitality Ed was used to.

"You're staring, Dad," Ethan looked over at him. "Do I really look that bad?"

Embarrassed, Ed shrugged. "Yeah, you do."

"See, I told you," Ethan tilted his head back and looked at Lia.

"Well you look a lot better than you did," Lia countered, leaning down and kissing the top of his head. "At least I don't have to spoon feed you anymore."

Winry chuckled. "Now there's an image."

"She's been feeding you?" Ed looked over at his son.

Ethan shrugged, looking a little embarrassed himself. At least that brought color to his face. "Well I didn't have the strength to sit up or use my arms much for a while. I think I know what a rag doll feels like now, and I'm glad not to be one." He looked back at Ed then, and a moment later he knew his son had read his thoughts. "I'll tell you everything when we get home, okay?"

"Sure," Ed agreed. He could understand Ethan not wanting to talk about it in the public press of the train station.

It was an enjoyable enough drive home, with Winry and Lia chatting the entire way like long-lost friends. It wasn't until they got Ethan up the stairs and into the house that Ed noticed something _very interesting _on Lia's left hand. He paused, hands in the middle of a clap so he could transmute the step down into the living room into a short wooden incline, and stared. "Is that what I think it is?"

Everyone stopped and looked at Lia's hand. She looked down, blinked, then giggled. She gave Ethan a dirty look. "You mean you didn't tell them about that_ either_?"

Now Ethan looked truly sheepish. "Well in my defense I was in danger of dying a week after I asked!"

The next moment Edward nearly went deaf as Winry squealed and there was another round of female hugging and congratulations. Ed smirked and looked down at Ethan. "About time." He clapped his hands together and finished the ramp.

"Yeah," Ethan agreed. "I know."

"So," Ed finally turned and asked what he wanted most to know. "What's with the wheel chair?"

"Edward," Winry glared at him.

"No, it's okay, Mom," Ethan replied. "I should have told you over the phone, but I chickened out."

"Told us what exactly?" Ed asked, fearing the worst.

Ethan sighed and shifted in the chair. "Well the short answer is while I was sick the disease attacked the part of my brain that deals with my legs more than anything else. I'm _not_ paralyzed," he said immediately after. "But it's going to take time and a lot of physical therapy before I can walk again."

It took a moment for it all to sink in, then Ed felt relief that his son was not permanently incapacitated, as much as concern that it would take that long for him to heal. It just impressed upon him how close they had come to losing Ethan. "Any idea how long?"

"That depends on how well I do," Ethan shrugged. "Could be a few months, could be more than a year. Doctor Saito sent Ren all my files and a suggested plan for physical therapy. I'm already doing light exercises every day."

"And eating like a pig," Lia smiled fondly. "Not that you can tell."

"Hey I'm gaining weight," Ethan argued, grinning back. "Well…some."

"Well you don't look like it," Winry smiled. Ed noticed she seemed to be taking all this in stride. But then, given the things he had put her through in their lives, he supposed he shouldn't be surprised. "But that's all right. We just restocked the entire house so there's plenty for you to eat."

"Oh great, cause I'm starving," Ethan's eyes lit up at the possibility of a home-cooked meal. "What are we having tonight? And please don't tell me Xingese food."

Winry laughed. "No. There's stew on the stove and fresh bread in the oven. I thought we'd give you a little time to settle in before inviting the entire family over for a feast."

"Thanks," Ethan replied, looking a little relieved. "I think I'd like to avoid another dozen rounds of _what the hell happened to you?_"

"I'm sure we can distract them with the other good news," Winry assured him. "Do you know when you want to get married?"

Ed watched Ethan's expression go from relaxed to uneasy in a split-second. And he had thought asking about the wheelchair would be the tough question! Ethan fidgeted. "We haven't picked a date yet," he replied vaguely.

The look on Lia's face told him that wasn't the answer she had been about to give. "Ethan," she looked down at him, surprised. "I thought we were talking about this winter?"

_Uh oh._ Ed took a step back, glad the living room wasn't small.

Ethan looked up at his fiancée apologetically. "I…I'm sorry. It's just that there are some things a guy ought to be able to do properly at his own wedding… like walk his bride back down the aisle afterwards. Usually there's dancing too," he added with a weak smile, "But I'm willing to forego that."

Lia turned and squeezed his hand. Ed stepped back again, moving behind the couch where Winry was perched on the side. He felt like he was intruding on a private conversation.

"I don't care if you can walk or not," Lia replied firmly. "You know that. I love you and I'll take you however you are."

"I know, Lia," Ethan replied, his eyes begging her to understand. "And believe me, I appreciate that. But I want to be able to hold you in my arms, and do things right and… well let's just say I think there's at least one thing a guy ought to be able to do on his wedding night."

"We should leave," Winry whispered in Ed's ear as she stood and headed for the kitchen.

Ed ignored her. Ethan and Lia seemed to have not noticed they were still there, so what did listening in matter right?

Lia's face had turned pink at Ethan's comment. To Ed, it was a sign of how far things had come that Ethan would even talk about it. "You know I'll wait as long as you want," she said finally.

"I know," Ethan replied earnestly. "And I don't want it to be any longer than you do, really. I want you to go ahead and plan it. Anywhere you want, anything you want, and as soon as things are right we'll get married. I promise."

Lia embraced him and they kissed.

Ed began to wonder if he should have left the room after all.

After a minute Lia stood straight again then sat down in the easy chair next to Ethan's wheelchair. "Mom will be glad to hear that," she smiled slightly. "She's been dying to plan a wedding for the last six years."

Ethan's face flushed. "Yeah…I figured." He cleared his throat and then surprised Ed by looking over at him instead. "So Dad, where's Tore?"

The question caught him completely unprepared. Ed almost choked. "He's… not here," he replied as he realized that, with everything going on, he had not burdened Ethan with the knowledge that Tore had run off.

"What do you mean?" Ethan seemed to have caught on at once that Ed didn't mean he was just out for the evening. Slowly, Ed recounted the events of the summer night a couple of months previous. When he was done, Ethan whistled. "Man, that's nuts. And he just ran off?"

"We haven't heard from him since," Ed nodded soberly. "I can't believe I forgot to tell you. Things…"

"Have been rough," Ethan finished for him with a half-smile. "It's okay. I hope he's okay. He's pretty resourceful and he's not exactly untrained. Must make you appreciate me and Sara and Aldon."

"Does it ever!" Ed exclaimed. "None of you were this much trouble, even combined. At least, not until you grew up," he added with a grin. "So are there any other things you've neglected to tell me besides being stuck in a wheelchair for the next few months and engaged? No accidental grandkids I should be worried about?"

The last statement got the reaction he'd been planning on, as Lia blushed and Ethan snorted a laugh. "No worries there, Dad," he shook his head.

"I thought not," Ed admitted smugly. So at least_ one_ of his kids would make it to the altar before children became a pressing concern. "I was teasing anyway. So, why don't you tell me just what you've got planned for the next few months?"

* * *

Over dinner that was just what they did. Winry served up the food, and then enjoyed the conversation as they sat around the table and listened to Ethan talk about his plans for physical therapy and getting into practice with Ren as soon as he could, even while he was still in the chair if he could manage it. Lia would start teaching in just a month and she had plenty to do to prepare for that!

It reassured Winry to watch them moving on already, making plans and working on their life despite the recent trauma. Ethan's good spirits were infectious. The dinner conversation was the most animated that had been in the house since Tore's disappearance and Winry was glad to see Edward laughing and taking part.

After dinner Ed stretched and stood. "Well I should see about making a few more quick alterations to the house. It's a good thing your room's on the ground floor."

"Don't go to any trouble, Dad," Ethan objected.

"What trouble?" Ed grinned. "It's easier for everyone if it's easier for you to get around, especially when you start moving on your own more. A couple of access ramps and hand holds and we're good to go." Then he turned and headed for the downstairs bathroom.

"I think I'm going to take a bath," Lia commented as she stood as well. "I haven't enjoyed a real bath since I left the apartment in Xing." She paused long enough to give Ethan a smile and a quick kiss and then vanished upstairs, leaving Winry and Ethan alone next to each other at the table.

Ethan grinned at her. "So how about another hug?"

Winry laughed and moved over. "How did you know?"

"You're my mom," he replied as they embraced. "Besides… I could use it."

It was good to know that even full grown, sometimes a boy needed his mother. "I'm so glad you're home," she replied softly as she sat back. "I just wish there was something I could do for this."

"Like what?" Ethan asked, looking slightly amused.

"I can fix limbs that are gone," Winry pointed out. "But not the ones that are still there, just not working properly. I gave you fingers."

"You gave me my legs too," Ethan replied. "And all the rest of me," he added with a wink. "Don't feel bad, Mom. Lia's given me enough lectures on taking care of myself to last me a lifetime. I've done physical therapy before. I can do it again."

Winry couldn't help giggling. "You're really something, you know that? Despite everything that's happened in your life you have such a positive attitude."

"I learned that from you," Ethan admitted, looking slightly embarrassed. "You've always pulled things together no matter how hard life got."

"Not always," Winry replied gently. She couldn't help but think of how hard it had been after the Aerugo War.

Ethan seemed one step ahead of her. "That might be the best example of all," he countered with a grin. "That was nine years ago and we're sitting here talking about it as past history."

To hear it so easily from his mouth brought tears to Winry's eyes. Ethan had been caught up in that mess more than other of her other children, if only because he'd been the youngest, the one faced with the brunt of Ed's misery and their fighting.

Wide-eyed, Ethan gave her a worried look. "Mom, are you okay? I'm sorry I-"

"No," she sniffed, smiling as she used one finger to brush away the tears. "I'm just so glad to hear that. Coming from you it means more than you know. It's hard to forget just how much you've grown up sometimes. Especially when I've spent the last couple of months reliving every memory and worrying."

"Awww, Mom." Now he really looked embarrassed. "It takes a lot more than that to kill anyone in this family." Even as he said it, Winry knew he knew it wasn't true. After all, it had been an illness that carried away his own grandmother at an age equivalent to Sara's now. His other grandparents had died by gunshot. It was too easy to die, and that was why Winry was always grateful that her family was still intact after so much time.

"So I see," she replied. "Just, promise me you'll stay safe for a while? It would be nice to have all of you in easy reach and safe for a change."

"Not much worry on that score," Ethan smiled. "Last I checked neither therapy nor getting married ever actually killed anyone."

"Nearly, but I think that's true," Winry giggled at a memory.

"What do you mean _nearly?_" Ethan gave her a curious look.

"Oh nothing," Winry shook her head. "Remind me to tell you about Roy and Riza's wedding sometime."

"I'll bet that was interesting," Ethan agreed, he shifted his weight again in the chair.

"Are you all right?" Winry asked. "Can I get you anything?"

"Nah, I'm fine," Ethan waved it off. "I'm just sick of this chair. It's not the most comfortable thing, and it's tough to get around in on my own. It's not exactly fantastic machinery."

They seemed to have the same thought at the same time.

"Hey, Mom," Ethan looked over at her. "Could you maybe-"

"Make a few modifications?" Winry smiled, a gleam in her eye. She would enjoy that, and it was something she could do that would actually be a help aside from just providing food and shelter and support. "I think some improvements can definitely be arranged."


	7. Chapter 7

**August 13****th****, 1961**

Three days after Ethan and Lia got back, Saturday, was immediately declared to be the date of the next big Elric family get together. It would be at Ed and Winry's house, of course, starting at lunch and lasting through dinner easily.

"Two family meals in one day? I don't think I can eat enough to put enough weight on to make doctors happy in one day, no matter how good it is," Ethan teased when he found out.

"Though I know it won't be for lack of trying," Lia smirked.

Ethan was glad he'd had time to relax after getting back. As much as he hated to admit it, even spending a month mostly-resting on the train with only small therapeutic exercises had been a drain. Sleeping at home again, in his old bed, under the familiar roof, with the smell of his parents' cooking every meal and the familiar sounds and sights…. It was therapy for the soul.

The day before he'd had his first official doctors' appointment slash business meeting with Ren. They had discussed the practice in general and then Ren had made him focus as they went over his training and he got a full look-over to make sure he had been taking proper care of himself since leaving the Xingese hospital. She'd been pleased, fortunately. The last thing Ethan wanted was Ren mad at him. Okay, so that was not quite the last thing, but it did not rank high on his priority list!

Saturday dawned bright, sunny, and hot. Ethan had forgotten how warm it was in Central in the summer. Their mountain town had been cooler than this all year round. They ate breakfast, and then he suffered through the lesser embarrassment of a full bath. On the train he'd continued with sponge-baths essentially, because Lia could hit the places he couldn't reach, but Ethan had just enough strength now to wash anything he didn't want her seeing yet!

His father had helped him in and out of the tub, but Ethan had reveled in soaking in the hot water and scrubbing himself clean with minimal assistance. It had felt good to wash his hair completely too.

"It's as long as Ed's," his mother commented as she watched Lia brush it out for him later. Ethan had decided after the first few days in the hospital that letting Lia do it was just easier than arguing with her, especially when he had been too weak to do anything more than lay there.

"Well I haven't cut it in a while," Ethan chuckled. He had gotten so used to the length he never really thought about it anymore. "Why, you don't like it?"

"It's not that," Winry shook her head. "You just look even more like your father than you did the last time I saw you. It's not just the hair," she added, smiling. "Though right now you look like him on one of his worse off days."

"I heard that!" Ed called down the stairs.

Ethan chuckled. "Yeah, I can see that." He had long ago gotten used to the fact that, other than being fairer than his dad, lighter in skin and hair, though with similarly golden eyes, the two of them really did look a lot alike. Not that Ethan minded. There were certainly worse people to look like.

"Well I like it," Lia chuckled as she finished brushing it out and pulled it back in a simple tail.

"You mean you like to play with it," Ethan countered. He didn't mind that either! It felt really good to feel her hands running through his hair.

"There's a difference?"

"No, not really," Ethan replied. "Are you done? I'd like to get outside for a bit. I'm pale enough as it is."

"So impatient," Lia shook her head. "All right, let's go."

The plan was, unsurprisingly, to do most of the cooking outside. Or at least, the majority of it; It had been a while since the grill had been fired up. With almost the entire family in evidence it would have been far too crowded if they didn't open up the doors and use the yard. Besides, the weather was gorgeous!

Ethan parked himself in the shade of the big tree in the back yard, which also gave him a great view of everything and meant he would be able to watch everyone he had missed so much. It was only a couple of minutes later when people started arriving and pouring right out into the back yard to lay food on picnic tables and mingle.

Sara got to him first. "You're an idiot," she told him as she straightened from giving him a huge hug. "Imagine a doctor working himself into a state where he catches something like that." She was grinning though.

Ethan chuckled. "Good to see you too, Sis."

"Uncle Ethan!" The next second Trisha had launched herself into his lap with a big grin and latched her arms around his neck. "I missed you so much!"

At least, he assumed it was Trisha! "Wow, kiddo," he grinned, hugging her back. "You've grown!" He was just saying it either. It had been over two years and kids grew up a lot between four and almost-six.

"Don't be too rough," Sara scolded, eyes widening a little.

"Oh it's all right," Ethan replied. "I'm not going to break." He grinned as Trisha sat back, clearly happy to be in her uncle's lap. "So do I get to see your little brother?" James was a full year old and he hadn't gotten to hold his youngest nephew once.

"Oh yeah!" Trisha grinned and hopped down. "Daddy's got him!" She darted off through the crowd of family members.

"They get big so fast," Ethan caught himself exclaiming as he watched her vanish. "And articulate."

"She'll talk your ears off now if you're not careful," Sara laughed. "You think she's big, wait till you meet Minx." Will and Ren's little girl was already over a year-and-a-half old. "She'll charm you in seconds."

"So I guessed from her pictures," Ethan smiled, feeling a little left behind. "So much has changed since I left."

"That tends to happen," Sara nodded, though it was obvious she'd caught on to the slight melancholy he felt realizing how much he had missed, even with letters and pictures. "Don't worry," she grinned as they headed off to join the party, "You'll catch up fast enough."

Ethan found out quickly that she was right. Franz came over within a couple of minutes with little James, who had just had his first birthday on the first of the month. The little dark haired boy had giggled and smiled and happily sat on Ethan's lap, then pointed at Pir – who was running all over the place – and laughed "Goggie!"

By then Uncle Al, Aunt Elicia, and Aunt Gracia had arrived and the pile of food on the table's contents doubled just with their arrival. They were followed soon after by Will, Ren, Minxia, and a whole pile of people Ethan had _not_ been expecting.

"What are you doing here?" He exclaimed, stunned, when Aldon, Cassie, and all four boys came in right behind Will and Ren.

"Is that any way to treat your brother after he came all that way?" Aldon asked, giving him a playful – but very light – slap on the shoulder before embracing him. "Dad called as soon as we knew you'd be coming home." His expression softened; so did his voice. "You had us worried."

Ethan felt his throat choke up a little. "I had _me_ worried," he admitted just as softly before Aldon moved back and Ethan found himself hugged by Cassie and then swarmed by his other four nephews. It was scary to think of Coran as eleven already, though he certainly looked the part. Reichart was almost nine. Urey was five and quite as energetic and talkative as Trisha, if stockier than the rest of his brothers. Little Ian was three!

When Ethan commented on them as they ran off to play with Trisha, Aldon groaned. "Yeah, thanks for mentioning that. I don't need to feel any older," he chuckled. "I'm not sure I'm ready for Coran to be a teenager."

"Has he discovered girls already?" Ethan asked.

Aldon shook his head. "No, thank goodness! But he's showing an interest in alchemy. I think he'd like Dad to teach him."

"And how do you feel about that?" From Aldon's expression, Ethan couldn't tell.

Aldon glanced down at him, then shrugged and smiled. "Whatever he wants. We don't even know if he'd be any good at it. Don't have the books at home and I'd rather he start learning later than earlier anyway. But I'd be surprised if he doesn't ask Dad about it before long. I told him it was a decision he had to make for himself."

"That's good," Ethan agreed. In their generation, Aldon was the only Elric who didn't do alchemy, though Ethan had often wondered if Aldon would be good at it if he had ever wanted to pursue it. He was much more mechanically minded, like Mom. "I wonder how many of them will turn out to be alchemists," he gestured to the pile of kids playing with the dogs.

"More than Amestris can handle," Will grinned as he and Ren joined them. Minxia was smiling in her father's arms, but kept looking longingly over at her cousins and straining to join them. "Just a minute," Will chuckled at her. "I want you to meet someone special."

"She's even more adorable in person," Ethan laughed as he reached out to her. "Hey, Minx."

Minxia looked at him a moment, then giggled and didn't fuss as Ethan cradled her in his arms. She tugged on a lock of his hair. Ethan had to admit, the blend of Amestrian and Xingese made for an exotic but beautiful baby. Her skin was fair, with a slightly Xingese cast to it, and her hair was darker than most everyone in the family, but had a distinct reddish highlight to the dark brown. Wide eyes peered out of a cute face.

"Wow I feel behind the curve," Ethan joked as he tickled her tummy. Other than Alyse, he and Lia were the only ones not married with kids.

"Be grateful." This came from Aldon. "Great as a family is, there are limitations. Cassie and I would have liked a little more time to ourselves before we had kids."

"Could have fooled me," Will grinned at his cousin.

"Yeah, well we weren't really thinking were we?" Aldon replied, though he was still smiling. "The boys can be a handful, but I wouldn't trade them for anything."

"Not even a girl?" Ren teased as Will picked up their daughter again.

To Ethan's surprise, Aldon looked slightly embarrassed, though he hadn't earlier. "Well we may not have to," he finally said, as if choosing his words carefully.

It was a long moment before Will, Ren, and Ethan said in unison "_Again_?"

Aldon nodded. "Yeah, but hush on that for the moment okay? At least until we have a chance to tell Mom and Dad."

Ethan was still looking at his older brother disbelievingly. "_Five_ kids."

"Aldon!" Cassie's voice rang out as she walked up to them. "Did you spoil the surprise?"

"Sorry," he smiled sheepishly. "It slipped."

Cassie shook her head and sighed. "You managed not to tell Sara last night."

"I was too tired when we got in to say much of anything other than goodnight," Aldon pointed out, chuckling.

"You know, Don," Ethan grinned. "They have a procedure in Xing that can fix that problem for you."

Aldon's face turned beat red and the others laughed; Cassie in particular. "Something other than torture might be preferable, Ethan. I do like him mostly in one piece."

"What's this about torture?"

Uh oh. Ethan had the feeling the cat was about to come flying out of the bag as his father joined them!

"We were just discussing ways of getting Aldon here umm… fixed," Will snickered.

Ed looked around at the lot of them and then shot Aldon a direct look. "Is there a particular reason it's necessary?"

Ethan was seriously enjoying the show that seemed to have decided to go on around him!

At Aldon's momentary hesitation, Cassie stepped forward with a resigned look, and then smiled; "Surprise?"

Ed got the reference immediately. "Again?"

"That's what everyone else said," Aldon replied, looking mildly discomfited. "Last one this time."

"How can we be so sure of that?" Ren teased.

"Because Aldon likes sleeping in his own bed," Cassie grinned even as she leaned into him fondly for a quick hug. "I guess I'll go tell Winry so she's not the _last_ person to find out," she said before drifting off again to where Winry, Elicia, and Gracia were all talking. Ren followed and Will headed for the kids to put Minx down.

Ed was still looking wide-eyed at Aldon. Finally he just shook his head and grinned. "You have a far more forgiving wife than I do. Your mom would have castrated me by now."

"Cassie offered," Aldon smiled then. "But she didn't try too hard. I think she wants a girl."

"Well after four boys your odds ought to be pretty good," Ed smiled.

"You know," Ethan grinned at his brother, "I wasn't kidding about that Xing procedure. They used to do it with an incision, but there are ways of doing it with a little alchemy too. It's quick and pretty painless. I know how to do it."

Aldon swallowed nervously, but smiled. "I'll… keep that in mind."

"Might not be a bad idea," Ed chuckled. "You're going to run out of house before you run out of years left to have kids."

"I guess that's the curse of starting early," Aldon agreed. "Hey, Dad, who's watching the meat?"

"Al's got it," Ed shrugged. "First sausages and burgers ought to be coming off the grill pretty soon."

"Then I think I'm going to head that way," Aldon brightened up. "We didn't have much breakfast because we knew there'd be plenty to eat today."

"Don't forget me," Ethan grinned, trying not to feel the irritation he often did that he had to be pushed. Being in the chair wouldn't have been so bad if he could move it around himself, but while he was getting stronger, his upper-body wasn't quite to that level. Mom was working on some improvements that would make it easier. He looked forward to those.

"How could we?" Ed gave him a sympathetic smile as he came around to the back. "I was stuck in one of these things for a while. I remember what a pain they are."

Ethan had seen a photo once, he remembered now, of his father sitting in a wheelchair before his surgery; a boy about Coran's age with two limbs missing, and no visible ports for auto-mail. So this was just another thing they had in common.

Lunch was huge, and well under way, when the last Elric arrived at the party. Alyse entered with a slightly harried smile, dressed in a fashionable summer dress-suit in cream, with a skirt, blouse, short-sleeved jacket and a soft pink short silk scarf around her neck. "Sorry I'm late," she hugged Ethan, interrupting him half-way through his second hamburger. "Consulting job; they just don't have the usual hours," she shrugged and smiled as she stood up. "So what can you do? We were looking at wedding sites and the event's in only three months."

"Hey, no apologies needed," Ethan assured her as he swallowed his mouthful and could speak properly. "You look fantastic." She did really. She'd trimmed her hair up so it just brushed past her shoulders, smooth, but with playfully flippy layering along the bottom. With the outfit she looked very sophisticated; though it was subtly different from her old look. For one thing, the skirt was a little shorter and flirtier.

"Thanks," she grinned. "Would you believe Vince helped me pick this one out?"

"The guy is willing to shop with you? He must not be right in the head," Ethan teased in mild disbelief.

Alyse took the teasing in stride. "Is it impossible to believe that some men have taste?"

"No, not at all," Ethan smirked. "I'm just impressed you found a guy willing to tail along for as long as it takes you to pick out clothes. So am I going to get to meet this prince of yours?" He knew Vince came to some of the family stuff with Alyse when he was available.

Alyse nodded. "Oh definitely. Unfortunately he's out of town on assignment with his superior officer right now. But we'll come over and hang out with you and Lia as soon as he gets back."

"Well good. I want to see if he's good enough for you," Ethan winked at her.

"Well he's not some foreign royalty," Alyse replied with a playful sniff, "But I'm rather fond of him."

"Given he's shattered the record for your longest boyfriend?" Ethan grinned, catching Alyse's reference to her brother's choice of bride. He knew Alyse and Ren got along well so he knew she wasn't slighting anyone.

Alyse grinned mischievously. "Hopefully he'll shatter a few other records as well."

While he had a few hunches, Ethan decided it might be wiser not to ask specifically what Alyse meant by that statement!

* * *

By the time dinner was over, Ethan was sure he would never be able to budge out of his chair. Not if they kept feeding him like this! All day everyone had made sure he had plenty to eat if he wanted it, lots to drink; all eager to make sure he was comfortable. Despite his voracious appetite of late, by the end even he wasn't sure he had room for another bite. _I think I might be in real danger of exploding here._

"Are you all right?" Lia asked, sitting down on edge of the couch next to where he had parked in the living room. The sun was finally setting and some of the family had gone home so things were quieter. Or, Ethan supposed, they were quiet because everyone was full and the kids were run ragged!

"I should live," Ethan chuckled. "I can't remember the last time I ate like this."

"The whole time you were in the hospital?" Lia teased gently.

"Not quite," Ethan shook his head.

"Don't worry about it," Lia tapped his nose with one finger. "You need it."

"So what's your excuse?" Cassie asked Aldon. They were both on the couch, Aldon at one end with Cassie lying down, using his side as a backrest.

"You expect me to watch what I eat at a family gathering?" Aldon snorted, one hand snaking around and resting on her stomach. "That's ludicrous! And what about you? You had more than me," he teased.

Cassie looked up at him. "_I_ have the best excuse in the room."

"She has a point," Edward laughed from the easy chair.

Ethan had missed the family banter. He had listened to it all day, and had only today realized just how much it meant to him.

"Hey, Ethan," Lia distracted him from his enjoyment of the chatter. "You haven't told your father yet, have you?"

That immediately caught the attention of almost everyone in the room, even as Ethan wondered a moment before he realized what she meant.

"What else haven't you told me?" Ed looked at them both with keen interest.

Ethan chuckled. Well, now was as good a time as any! "She's talking about something I was researching in Xing," he explained. "Well actually, I started the research in college but I could really only work on it in Xing."

"So what is it?" He had his father's full attention.

"Well, I've still got my copy of the research and results packed, though I turned it in to Doctor Saito before I finished my training period," Ethan explained, enjoying the look of anticipation on everyone's faces. Even Franz and Sara, cuddled up on the other couch, were listening. His mother, sitting cross legged on the floor with James asleep in her lap, was also paying close attention. "I did it," he finally grinned at his Dad. "I've created a painkiller that doesn't use the base element used in the stronger ones we use in Amestris; it doesn't use the same base as_ kashu_."

His father froze, for a rare moment perfectly still, his eyes opening wide. Ethan knew that, while his father never complained, there were times when it was still tough to go without any kind of painkillers. There were weaker things now of course, but they hardly did anything at all for the aches that came from auto-mail in any weather extreme, and nothing for anyone severely injured. _This_ was something his father could take without concern for his body's sensitivity to the other drugs. "You're serious."

"Of course I am," Ethan chuckled. "I mean, it doesn't kill _all_ the pain, but it's still pretty good, and it doesn't cause hallucinations either. There's still some final testing being done in Xing, but they all agreed that it's safe. I'll get credit for it."

"That's fantastic," his mother smiled proudly.

"Are they going to name it after you?" Sara chuckled.

"Somehow I doubt it," Ethan shrugged. "Though I get some say in that too," he added with a wink. "But I promised Ren – and Doc Gray too – copies of the research and samples of the painkiller. Gray's really interested in putting it to use in Amestrian hospitals since it's not proven to have any addictive properties."

His father looked so proud, and so relieved, for a moment Ethan thought Ed was going to cry. "Thank you," he replied simply.

It wasn't the words, but the look on his father's face made Ethan feel that everything he had learned since he was eight years old was worth the effort.

**August 19****th****, 1961**

Breda sighed with relief as he closed the door to his house, locking out another long Friday. Even without the duties of President anymore, a General's days were certainly not empty!

He had managed to duck out a little early when his last meeting for the day was canceled and he slung his uniform jacket on the coat rack in the entryway and strolled down towards the kitchen. He paused as he walked past the entrance to the living room on his left and spotted Charisa sprawled out on the couch on her back, her legs hooked up over one end, a book above her head and a concentrating expression on her face.

"And what are you doing reading a book in the middle of a gorgeous summer afternoon?" Breda asked, changing course. He said it casually, but in truth he was worried. While she hid it fairly well, he knew that Charisa was still upset, despite the fact that her grounding had ended weeks before and summer was almost over. It wasn't that she was upset about either; not if Breda had to guess; Charisa just wasn't the type to mope normally.

"Getting a head start on the semester," she replied without removing her nose from the book.

"Not that I'm one to discourage academic excellence," Breda chuckled, "But summer's almost over. I thought you'd be out enjoying it." Niam was hardly in the house at all; he'd been running around all summer with friends doing outdoor sports and hanging out.

"I don't feel like enjoying it."

"Well I got that," he crouched down a little, ignoring the cracking of his knees, to get more level with her. "What I want to know is why?"

Apparently straight out asking was all it took. Charisa slammed her book shut so fast Breda almost fell backwards he stood up so quickly. "It's been an entire summer and he hasn't called, written, nothing!"

_Him_. As Breda had guessed, it was Tore's running off that was eating at her. He tried not to scowl. "Were you expecting him to?"

Charisa tossed the book down and almost bounded off the couch in her agitation, pacing the living room like a caged animal. _Or a hormonal woman, _Breda thought. "I don't know what I was expecting! We were best friends! He wanted me to run away with him, but does he write? Does he do anything at all to make me thing he even remembers I exist? No, of course not! It's a betrayal of everything all because of one stupid little embarrassing scene. I mean why can't boys just grow up? I have no idea why I thought he was different from any other boys? I mean he's been out with how many girls?!"

The tirade continued, to the point where it began to repeat and Breda tuned out the worst of it as it elevated to shouting. There was a part of him that wanted to tell her she was out of line and to stop shouting, a part that felt Tore deserved the rant that Charisa was giving in effigy, and a part that felt… guilty. His daughter was hurting, and he hated that the events had ever happened for that reason. And yet… he had been a teenager once. He couldn't claim to have been any better however long ago it seemed. Okay, so he hadn't been out with as many girls; but that had been because he wasn't the type most of the girls went for. Still he, like Havoc and many of his other friends and colleagues, had been teenage boys. As angry as Breda had been at the situation, he had to admit – to himself at least – that Tore certainly wasn't the worst kid out there. Still, he was a hormonal teenage boy, and that was enough reason to dislike him from Breda's point of view as a father.

Charisa finally wound down, startling Breda when she fell into his arms, crying like she hadn't since she was younger. His arms went around her instinctively. "It'll be all right, sweetie," he assured her, unwilling to say any of the things in his mind that he wanted to say about the boy himself. They wouldn't help. "It'll be fine." He wasn't sure how, but he knew it would be eventually.

**August 21****st****, 1961**

By the middle of the evening Ethan had to admit that Vince really did seem like a good guy, and an excellent match for Alyse. He was casually polite, not forced, but reasonably easy going compared to a few of her previous boyfriends who were military. He had also obviously broadened Alyse's horizons when it came to activities and preferences in the process. While he had always liked his cousin, Ethan had the feeling that she was a little less high-maintenance than she had sometimes been in the past. Now she might actually sit down long enough to talk about something other than work or her latest project!

Like tonight; sitting around his parents' table with the two of them and Lia, playing a board game over dessert and drinks; Ethan could not recall the last time he had seen Alyse quite so relaxed, still, and dressed informally. He honestly could not recall the last time he had seen her in jeans, but she was tonight. Jeans and a fairly casual top; both high quality and fashionable to be sure, but they _were_ casual.

There was some pleasant jazz playing on the radio as Ethan sipped from his iced tea and moved his pieces on the board. It was a multiple-person war strategy game, lots of fun. At least for the guys; Ethan and Vince were dominating the board.

"Next time we're playing a trivia game," Lia chuckled as Ethan took control of one of her areas, "Something with lots of popular culture."

"I suppose it's only fair," Ethan admitted begrudgingly. He knew tons about history, but anything about current trends or fashions or radio stars he was likely to forget in minutes anyway. It just wasn't important.

"Entirely," Alyse grinned as she looked at the board, clearly unsure where to put her next pieces.

She shifted them, and looked up when Vince gave a triumphant "Ha!"

"What?" she looked at him curiously. "What did I do?"

Vince grinned as he moved, neatly slaughtering the rest of Alyse's pieces on that half of the board. "Never start a land war in Xing, honey."

Ethan snickered, and even Lia was chuckling. "He's right," Ethan nodded. "It's a bad idea. They have more land and more men and you could never hope to succeed."

"If I ever really invade Xing," Alyse shrugged at them, "I plan to attack only the best shopping locations."

"Better guard your wallet," Ethan grinned at Vince.

Vince put his arm around Alyse's shoulders. "Don't I know it! Not that I mind. She looks good in everything."

Alyse blushed just slightly, but Ethan could tell she was pleased. "That's because I don't try _on_ anything that wouldn't," she added sensibly.

"That doesn't limit the selection much," Vince countered easily.

"Are we ever this bad?" Ethan whispered to Lia as they were apparently forgotten as the two bantered back and forth.

"Only in private," Lia assured him, leaning over to kiss his cheek. This went entirely unnoticed. She stood. "I think I'll go make some more iced tea. This could turn into a long evening!"


	8. Chapter 8

**September 5****th****, 1961**

Wandering, Tore had decided, was not quite as much fun as it was reported to be. He had continued to travel west and north. He had gone through a couple of larger towns, stayed a few days working here and there. He had fixed things and helped people with alchemy, and worked at regular jobs as needed to get by. Whatever odd jobs needed doing he was happy to do. Tore knew he could not afford to be picky.

But that meant a lot of work. While he had never been afraid of work, it was getting dull. He wanted to spend more time as an alchemist, but that didn't get him far enough on his own. He had no missions, no objectives, just wandering and hoping someone could use his area of expertise.

In any case, he hadn't settled in any place more than a few days. He had already learned that lesson! Settling meant complications and that was dangerous. None of these were places he wanted to be tied down to forever. Not that Tore was sure if there was such a place anymore.

If he was honest with himself, Tore was beginning to feel like a bit of an idiot for running off. After all, the worst that would have happened to him would have been a solid grounding, extra chores and drills, and he'd probably have had to apologize to Charisa again, and maybe her father just to keep in his good graces. This whole on his own stuff wasn't everything he had tried to tell Charisa it would be, as much as he did enjoy himself some of the time.

What hurt, was that Tore was fairly certain if he did go back now, he would no longer be welcome. After all, he had just thrown everything anyone had ever given him; every kindness, every opportunity, right in their faces. They had probably forgotten all about him by now, or at least written him off as that kid who ran away.

He couldn't go back and yet, every time he thought of family now, or home, in his mind he would see Mrs. Elric bringing him a snack while he worked on his homework, the Elric house, his room there and his poor cat who had probably forgotten about him completely. He thought of Ethan; how he treated him like a buddy or a brother whenever he came back to visit.

Yes, he missed a lot of things and people. But did they miss him?

It was a question that had haunted him for several days by the time he hiked into the town of Larendon in the late afternoon. It was one of the few towns out here actually on the railroad line, so it was a little bigger than some of the others. It also had a couple of decent sized inns and bars near the tracks. Fall was in the air already up here, and the thick thunderclouds rolling in overhead told Tore he didn't want to be outside tonight.

Picking a place that looked relatively reputable Tore went inside and took a seat at the bar. No one gave him an odd look as he sat down, motioned the bartender over, and ordered a beer. He no longer thought twice about it. Frankly, there had been times Tore forgot he wasn't really eighteen.

As he sipped his drink and warmed up from the slight fall nip in the air outside, Tore kept thinking. There was a lot to this wandering without a destination business that he was finding he didn't like; no security, no stability, no one waiting for him after a hard day. He had to admit that he was lonely. Yet he couldn't just stay somewhere. That meant forming personal attachments and life getting complicated. He would have to keep moving to avoid that, but was that really what he wanted?

No, what he really wanted was to stop feeling so lonely. Tore finished nursing down his first beer and ordered a second. Outside the clouds had opened up and a deluge beyond the windows made the room feel cozier than it probably would otherwise.

"The usual, Theo," a woman's voice, a pleasant alto, caught Tore's ears and made him turn to look. An attractive woman who didn't look too much older than himself had just sat down two stools down. With no one else at the bar this time of the afternoon, Tore had a clear view of her; skin-tight jeans and a white tank top with a blue-and-white checked flannel over the top, tied at the midriff. Her medium length yellow-blond hair was pulled back in a simple tail behind her head.

Theo, the bartender, mixed her drink and brought it over. "There you go, Lilah. I see you're not working this afternoon."

"Business is always slow this time of day," Lilah pointed out with an easy chuckle, taking the drink in one well-manicured hand. Her nails weren't painted, but they seemed to be well taken care of. "But it's a Friday night. Besides," she added with a soft chuckle. "There's three logging trains coming through here tomorrow. That's half my month's bills in business right there."

Theo shook his head. "You know your business almost too well, Lilah."

"It's a living," she shrugged and smiled. It took Tore a moment to figure out what she was talking about. _She's a…professional… _Well she sure looked good enough, though not what he expected. He was still absorbing that information when her gaze turned his direction and she smiled. "Hello there, stranger," she smiled. "New in town I see; business or pleasure?"

Tore shook himself mentally and put on a friendly grin. "A bit of both; I've been traveling, doing work where I need to."

"A man of the world then," Lilah chuckled, sipping her drink. "And just what is it you do?"

"I'm an alchemist," Tore replied as casually as he could manage.

Lilah eyed him briefly. "Is that so? We don't get many alchemists out this far. I've got a little something that needs fixing and I've had trouble doing it myself. I can't offer much pay of course."

"I'll do it for the company," Tore replied without thinking, then almost laughed at her startled look. He realized then what his words might infer. But instead of taking it back, he decided to leave it. Why not? He was lonely enough. Maybe she was just the distraction he needed tonight.

Lilah looked mildly surprised at that, but she nodded after a moment. "That seems fair. So, what's your name?"

"Terrence," Tore replied, caught a little off guard as she reached out to shake his hand. "Terrence Closson. You can call me Tore though." He wasn't sure what it was that made him introduce himself by his full first name.

"Lilah Peterson," she introduced herself properly in return. "Let's go back to my place, shall we?"

Well that was fast! Tore only wondered a moment just what he was getting himself into, but he wasn't going to back out now. He finished his beer, waited for her to finish her drink, and followed her out of the inn. Lilah grabbed an umbrella from the stand by the door as they stepped outside. "These storms always come up fast," she explained with a smile as she led him north, paralleling the tracks. They didn't go far, just a couple of blocks to a small apartment building, only three stories, and inside. She led him up to the second floor and unlocked the door.

The apartment was small, clean, and decent quality; not run down. It was actually quite cozy. "You're welcome to leave your things here," she gestured to the living room.

Tore took off his pack and left it by the door, then followed Lilah into another room which proved to be the bedroom. _Wow she works fast! _Was that all there was to this? No conversation no getting to know each other?

Lilah walked right past the bed to a dresser and knelt down. "The leg of this thing has been broken for months," she explained. "And I just can't seem to fix it right. It's messing with the bottom drawer too. Do you suppose you could fix this?"

_Oh._ Feeling foolish, Tore crouched down beside her and took a look. "Oh sure, no problem," he grinned. Pulling chalk out of his pocket he drew a circle on the busted leg. Then he pressed his hand to it. It only took a few seconds to fix the broken leg and keep it from messing with the drawer. "There you go. Should work like new," he said, standing up straight.

Lilah pulled the drawer out and slid it in. It ran silently. "Incredible," she nodded, standing up and flashing him a grateful smile as she leaned on the dresser and it remained firmly steady and straight. "Thanks. I have a lot of skills, but carpentry isn't one of them."

"Hey, no problem," Tore replied. "It's what I do."

"Well it's definitely impressive," Lilah assured him, stepping in close. "So I guess it's well worth the payment." She pressed her lips to his and Tore felt himself light up inside in seconds. Her intensity with such a gentle kiss was astounding! He'd never felt anything like it as her hands slid easily around him, her chest pressed just so against his…

Tore returned the kiss eagerly; ready to be rid of the loneliness that had plagued him for days, weeks. What she did for a living didn't matter. She was a nice girl as far as he could tell; friendly, easy going, grateful….and ungodly attractive! He pulled her close against him, but found that she was the one controlling things. Before he knew it he had been easily steered to the bed, and then they were lying there, and his shirt was off, as were her pants; he was vaguely aware that he had pulled them off her.

After that, he had no control of the situation whatsoever; or of himself. He had never known that a woman could do so many things to him with just her hands. The way they seemed to dance and trace patterns on his skin, eliciting the most unreal sensations until his senses were humming, muscles tight and vibrating. Kisses and fingers caressed his neck, his shoulders, his chest, to the center of his stomach below his belly-button, right along the line of his pants.

He was in agony but in heaven, craving and satisfied, he was going to explode and there was nothing to be done about it. His own hands snaked up under her shirt and found firm, supple flesh before he seemed filled with a strange growing light, a pressure that filled his very existence.

And then he lay there, quivering, completely spent. Eyes wide he stared up at the ceiling for several moments, breathing air in ragged gasps. Lilah's hand lying on his stomach was not making this easier. "That was…." It was amazing. Tore had thought making out with Charisa in a closet had been a heady experience. It had nothing on this… and Lilah hadn't even had sex with him! He still had his pants on…though Tore knew he definitely needed to change them now. Lilah was still mostly dressed except for being minus her own jeans. If that was what she could do _without_ getting involved with those pieces of anatomy….Tore had a lot to learn.

"You liked that, did you?" Lilah smiled, rolling over easily and sitting up. "It's been a while since I had someone around so easily pleased."

Tore tried not to blush. "Who are you calling easy?"

Lilah chuckled. "I meant you're refreshingly uncomplicated."

"We didn't actually do anything," Tore pointed out, feeling suddenly a little cheated.

"I don't do innocents," she replied with an amused smirk. "You're a good looking boy, but you're just that. If you're still interested come back when you're older and a little more experienced. But somehow I don't think a looker like you is going to have a problem with finding someone." She fluffed his bangs with one hand in a gesture that was 'almost'…not quite motherly; sister maybe?

Tore found it irritating. "How could you tell?" he finally asked.

"The way you hit me up," she chuckled. "You're too sweet. And no one flirts like that with a professional. You came too easily too. I bet you don't even masturbate."

Tore tried not to swallow his tongue. "I see," was all he could think of to say to that! What was he going to do, confirm or deny it? The vehement _of course not_ died on his tongue.

She laughed again, lightly. "A real innocent. I'll bet a week's wages you're not even eighteen. I don't care if Theo believes it and you've got ID to prove it. Which means you won't get anything more out of me."

Tore's cheeks flushed. "I know about prostitutes," he replied sharply before thinking to wonder if she would find the remark insulting.

He wasn't sure if he had a funny look on his face or what, but she seemed even more amused as she pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "Yes you do," she smiled. "Want one?"

"No thanks," Tore replied with a shake of his head. He bit off the sentence before he could admit he didn't smoke. She already thought he was some goody. He'd tried them of course, but the taste wasn't worth the effects.

He watched her turn and easily swing her legs over to the side of the bed as she lit her cigarette. Finally, he spoke again. "That was….incredible. How did you do that?"

"Without sex? Easy…" she shrugged. "It's just a matter of knowing the right points to hit. With someone as fresh as you are, I could have brought you to the climax in a minute if I really wanted. Consider it a free lesson in lust. There's nothing romantic about that now is there? It's not love, and the two don't have to be even remotely inclusive."

No, there wasn't. Tore couldn't imagine any of the girls in Central High doing the things Lilah had just done to him. Or at least, he could _imagine_ it, but their fathers would slap him for even thinking it! It wasn't even anything like making out with Charisa had been. That had been sweetly intoxicating. This had been raw, overpowering, and somehow… less satisfying, despite the incredibly relaxed feeling that had spread through his body. He felt an immense release and yet she was right. There was something missing. He felt cheated. "You're telling me it wouldn't be any different if you actually had sex with me?" The things she had done to him with her hands, her mouth…. And even with all that he knew there were things she 'hadn't' done that he'd heard of.

"More intense," Lilah responded as she blew out a stream of smoke. "If you think you could handle that. But actually no, not really. What do you think we _did_? _Those_ would have cost you," she smirked.

"I would nev—" Tore's face flushed red and he couldn't finish the statement.

"You would never pay for what you just got for free?" Lilah asked him with a knowing look. "You're a good looking young man; I suspect you'll never find the _need_ to pay for services like mine unless you feel like it. You're not the type. Not yet anyway. You should find yourself some nice, sweet girl and settle somewhere. It's my experience that the eternal wanderers are never truly happy."

"Oh?" Tore wondered when this had turned into a lesson. If she was a teacher, this was even kinkier than he could take. It rankled that she was right too, at least about the wandering. He was learning that for himself already.

"Nothing's ever good enough, never safe enough, they can't settle. It's like a disease, an addiction, always having to see what's beyond the next hill." Lilah settled down against the pillow next to him. "Usually they're afraid to let someone love them that much, to commit to the challenges of a long-term relationship."

"That's ridiculous."

"Then why are you here, Terrence?"

He was seriously wondering that himself.

**September 6****th****, 1961**

Rain was still pouring outside the window when Tore opened bleary eyes and peered over at it briefly, wondering if he could just go back to bed and forget about the rest of the world. He was tired, but not unpleasantly so. He had slept well. Lilah's couch was old, but one of those soft, thick, squishy couches that liked to eat people but was great for sleeping. A pillow and a thick wool blanket made it almost homey. He couldn't tell for sure, but he suspected he had slept in quite a bit later than he had gotten used to doing.

He hadn't been sure what to make of her offer to have him spend the night at first, until she pointed out that he might as well stay here instead of spend the money on a room. So they had talked some more over coffee and strawberry pie until late in the evening, and then Tore had curled up to sleep when she went into her room for the night.

He was rather unprepared for the sudden sound of bright, cheerful whistling coming from her little kitchenette a few moments after waking up. "You're cheerful," he commented.

"I like rainy mornings," Lilah replied. "They're cozy, and I know I don't have to do anything for a while. I hope you like eggs. It's all I've got for breakfast food."

"Eggs are great," Tore assured her, sitting up and rubbing sleep out of his eyes. His stomach grumbled. "How long will they take?"

"Assuming the stove behaves, about fifteen minutes?" Lilah called back.

Tore had time to take a quick shower and dress before breakfast was ready. Along with the eggs, there was some pan-cooked toast, butter, and more coffee. No gourmet breakfast, but Tore wasn't going to complain. It wasn't nearly as good as anything he'd eaten back home, or even at the Hopkins' farm or a dozen other places, but it wasn't burnt, just plain.

The breakfast table was quiet for a while. They hadn't talked about anything personal or serious last night. Still, Tore was very curious about the woman whose apartment he had just spent the night in. Forget the fact anyone in town who saw them would assume he'd actually bought her services. "If you don't mind my asking, how old are you and… why are you doing what you do?"

Lilah shrugged, slowly sipping her coffee. "As I'm sure you know, it's never polite to ask a woman's age, but given the circumstances, I think I'll tell you anyway. I'm twenty-nine, and I do what I do because it makes better money than anything else in this town and I have a debt to pay off."

"What kind of debt?"

"The kind someone else saddles you with and then vanishes," Lilah replied simply, but there was something in her tone that told Tore not to ask further questions. "Since we're asking personal questions now, just tell me what you're trying to accomplish."

It was a good question. "I left home to put my skills to use," Tore admitted. "To see some of the world aside from where I grew up and take my life in my own hands for a while."

"I see," Lilah nodded, actually smiling a little. "And how's that going for you?"

"It has its ups and downs," Tore admitted with a shrug, biting into his toast. "It's been about three months, so I'm getting used to it."

"Don't your parents miss you?"

"Don't have any," Tore replied with a shrug. "They've been dead for years. I was living with my alchemy teacher."

"I see," Lilah replied. "So is this more like training or a rite of passage or something?"

"You could call it that." Tore was grateful for the easy excuse.

"So where are you heading next?"

"Further north I think," Tore replied with a smile. "I can go pretty much anywhere I want. I thought I'd follow the tracks for a bit. I'm getting tired of back roads."

"How long are you planning to travel?"

Tore knew she was just being sociable, but it was still hard not to feel like he was being interrogated. He shrugged. "Until I get tired of it I guess. I don't have any agenda I have to meet or anything. It's just something I wanted to do."

"And when you get tired of it?"

The knowing look on her face bugged him. "Then I'll find something else I want to do."

The rest of the meal was quick and fairly quiet. When it was done, Tore helped do the dishes and then packed his bag.

"Heading out of town already?" Lilah asked.

"No reason not to," Tore replied. "I just feel like it."

"Be careful out there."

Surprised by the gentle expression in her voice, Tore looked up. "I always am," he offered a grin as he stood and put on his pack. "Thanks for the meal and the place to sleep and the, uh…. lesson," he blushed slightly.

Lilah smiled again. "You're welcome and I hope you find what you're looking for."


	9. Chapter 9

**September 9****th****, 1961**

"You all right?" Marcus Kane asked Edward with a slightly concerned expression, followed quickly by a smile as he dropped down next to Ed on the bench in the HQ gym locker room. "I didn't smack you around too much?"

"Hardly," Ed snickered as he massaged the top of his right shoulder above the joint where body met auto-mail port. "It's the great weather we're having today." Outside, the weather had turned cool early and rolled in with some heavy thunderstorms. His ports had always ached, sometimes badly, in weather like this. It had been worse when he was a teenager, and then gotten better. Now, he seemed to be going in the opposite direction on weather tolerance. Not that he was surprised. His flesh and bone joints ached in wet weather too now.

"Don't they make auto-mail that's easier on that kind of thing now?" Kane asked as he pulled on a clean shirt after his shower.

Ed nodded. "Yeah, but the primary improvement there is in the ports," Ed explained as he stopped rubbing and threaded his belt through his pant loops. "To do that we'd have to completely remove the ones I've got and replace them with the new models with the new linings. I can't just transmute them. Then I'd have to go through therapy all over again." That really did not sound like a pleasant proposition, especially now that he wasn't likely to bounce back as quickly as he had when he was eleven.

"Well that stinks," Kane replied sympathetically. "You still managed to give us all a real scrap though," he chuckled. "I can only hope I'm doing that ten years from now."

"Just hope you're doing it without auto-mail," Ed retorted as he stood up and stretched again. The combat session had actually helped, but the aches hadn't gone away. Doc Gray had verified that she was also convinced Ethan's new painkiller was safe for public use, and even for Ed's use, but he wasn't sure it was bad enough to resort to that yet. Especially since it still had to be given by injection right now; there wasn't a pill form.

"I'd planned on it," Kane chuckled. "You have anything else to do today?"

"Some papers to grade," Ed nodded. "Then home for a hot bath and hopefully a massage," he added, grinning. He could almost guarantee the latter. Winry was always willing to help him feel better when the weather made his ports hurt.  
"Now that sounds good," Kane agreed, picking up the rest of his things. "Enjoy that!"

"Oh I intend to," Ed assured him as he headed out as well, heading on back towards his office. All he really wanted to do was go home and take that long soak. The shower had helped, but it wasn't the same.

He had just reached his office door when an aide, looking slightly harried, came up to him and stopped. "Excuse me, Fullmetal, Sir, but your presence is requested in Investigations."

"Investigations?" Ed paused to look at him – a Second Lieutenant. "What for?"

"I was told it had to do with an investigation you were part of," he said, looking worried that it was too vague, but it was clearly all he knew.

Sciezka; Ed was sure of it. "Well I'll head right down there then," he replied, moving further on down the hall instead. "You're dismissed."

"Thank you, Sir."

If Sciezka finally had some news as to Tore's whereabouts, Ed wanted to know about it now! He made himself walk, briskly, down to the Investigations office.

Sciezka was waiting for him. "That didn't take you long."

"What have you heard?" Edward blurted without preamble.

"Well, we know he left the city and headed North," Sciezka replied, picking up the report and handing it over. "A gentleman named Vanders says he gave a guy mostly matching Tore's description a ride a few months ago, right about the time Tore disappeared. He said the hair color was different, but everything else matches. It's an old lead, but he also said Tore headed West out of town when he left Vanders' place a couple of days later."

"Which means the majority of our search has been in entirely the wrong direction," Edward growled, elated and yet further frustrated at the same time. He hadn't figured on Tore heading north. Drachma was to the north, and there was no reason for him to want to head that way. "Nothing else?"

Sciezka shook her head. "Not yet, but it's something. Now we have a more specific direction to start investigating. Even if he changed directions and headed somewhere else, we might be able to follow a trail."

Ed nodded. "Thanks Sciezka. I really appreciate this."

"You're not the only one who wants to find him you know," Sciezka smiled sadly. "He's a good kid… most of the time. No one wants to see him hurt. You know I'll let you know if we find out anything else."

Ed nodded, pocketing the copy of the report. "I know. I'm sure you'll find him eventually." Even a kid who wanted to hide from the military would have trouble doing it for too long. Ed knew that from personal experience. Still, it brightened his mood a little as he headed back to his office. He'd have news for Winry tonight too, and it was always better than nothing!

**September 15****th****, 1961**

"Well this is certainly a change of pace," Breda commented as he came home to find the full dining table set for dinner, and their usual little table in the kitchen spotless save for a pile of Charisa's books. "Something going on?"

"Your daughter is having a guest for dinner," Nancy informed him with a shrug and a smile. "They're studying."

"Which is why they can't eat with the rest of us?" Breda wondered.

Niam snickered as he came through, grabbing plates and heading out of the room. "It's a _date_, Dad, geez!"

A what? Breda turned sharply as Charisa walked in. "You have a date?"

"A study date," Charisa shrugged, setting more books down on the breakfast table. "Mom said it was all right."  
He hadn't objected to it. Breda sighed, and waited a moment until Niam and Nancy were out of the room. "It's fine," he replied. "I'm just a little surprised."

"Don't be," Charisa replied, turning to f ace him. "I'm not waiting around anymore. Tore ran off over three months ago. I'm worried about him; he was my best friend; but I'm not going to sit around and pine after him like some airhead with nothing better to do."

_Funny, I never thought of Winry like that._ Breda wasn't sure where the thought came from, but it stuck him then that he _had_ known women who waited a lot longer. But then, not every teenage romance was love. Not even every adult romance was; and this wasn't the same kind of situation. "Well I'm proud of you," he smiled finally. "I'm glad you're being mature about this." He knew an awful lot of guys who could wish for such a sensible teenage daughter!

Charisa relaxed, and smiled brighter than he had seen in a while. "Thanks, Dad," she gave him a quick hug. "I hoped you'd understand."

**September 19****th****, 1961**

"Wow it's late," Alyse chuckled as she paused at the top of the stairs on the landing to her apartment.

"It's only three in the morning," Vince replied, snagging her arm and pulling her in close for a kiss.

Feeling slightly giddy, Alyse complied. It had been a wonderful night. But then, dates with Vince usually were; a light meal, dancing at the jazz club, laughing and having a good time. "You're right," she murmured. "It's early." The kiss lasted, stretching out until she wasn't sure they would ever breathe again.

"Very early," Vince agreed with a deep chuckle when it finally broke. His arms slipped around her waist, holding her close. "It'll be time to get up before too much longer. By the time I'd get home, what's the point of sleeping anyway?" There was a hint of longing in his eyes; hopefulness.  
"We have work in the morning," she pointed out.

"So do a lot of other people," he countered playfully. "That doesn't stop them. What do you say, beautiful?"

Alyse giggled. "I think we've both had a little too much wine tonight," she replied, pressing her finger to his lips. "You know my answer. You want that, there's something you have to do first." They had been dating for years; he knew what he'd have to do if he wanted to get any more intimate.

"Well then," he chuckled after a moment. "Sometime maybe I will."

**September 24****th****, 1961**

The small mining city of Clearwater was aptly named. It sat beside a huge mountain lake that seemed to reflect the sky back to infinity and yet Tore found he could actually see pretty well in it. Despite all the mining, the town was careful with its natural resources. They mined precious metals and gems mostly. All in all, it seemed a really nice place to stop for a while.

Or at least, that was what he thought at first glance. The reality turned out to be far less friendly than Tore had hoped; at least when it came to strangers. They were more inclusive and less apt to simply trust; even a stranger who was also an alchemist and could prove it.

Still, just moving straight on did not seem an option this time. Tore was running low on money again. Food and a place to sleep when the weather got bad cost him no matter how frugal he was. He had also finally had to replace his shoes, which he had worn clean out. There was a branch of the Amestrian Bank here, a small one, but Tore decided it wasn't worth pulling the money. If anyone wanted to find him that would be a dead give-away and, besides, he was determined to do this on his own now if he was going to do it at all.

Which, he didn't want to admit; he was beginning to doubt he could do. His own abilities were good, but not always enough. He wasn't always sure if he was making the best decision in which way to go, what to do, or where to stay. Not everyone was friendly. He couldn't count on generosity.

Things were no longer as easy or straightforward as they had seemed in his head when he started out. Tore sat in the park eating a cheap vender hotdog and thinking hard about what to do next. He wasn't making much progress with his supposed mission anymore. Survival kept taking precedence. How had Edward and Alphonse ever persevered like this?

_Oh yeah, they had military funding. _A lot of their decisions had been made for them too; whether they liked it or not. That was what being a State Alchemist meant. Of course, he was starting to miss having someone else make decisions for him…. Sometimes; someone else making dinner, washing his clothes and leaving them on his bed to be put away, telling him where to focus next in his alchemy studies and keep him on task. He didn't have to question anything, just do it.

Tore finished his hot dog, stood up, and walked through the park along the lakeshore. It was beautiful. Fall was in full swing; the air was brisk, and the deciduous trees were a riot of reds and gold and oranges. A couple of the trees up here were so dark red their leaves almost looked purple! Evergreens poked up between them and, with today's bright clear blue sky above, it was like a rainbow scattered across the earth.

_It's beautiful. I wish Charisa could see it._ His heart clenched as the thought came unbidden. He missed her. He had thought it would get better with time, but Tore found that the longer he was gone, the more he missed his friends, especially Charisa. He missed his cat. He missed the Elrics… even Edward.

Tore found himself standing on the pebbled shore of the smooth lake staring at his reflection. His hair was getting shaggier, but he didn't much care about getting it cut; he couldn't afford to pay for it and he didn't trust himself to do it. He still shaved every few days, but a couple of days of dark scruff definitely made him look older. Months on the road did that too. He wasn't the same kid who had left home. Would they want the new one back?

He sat down on a flat topped boulder and pulled out his sketchbook and colored pencils. Charisa had given them to him as a birthday present years back, and he hadn't been willing to leave them behind. He flipped through it, looking for the next clear page, but unwilling to skip the images in it. The sketchbook was almost full. The first pages were full of his attempts at various things around central; animals, people, buildings. Then it moved on to more detailed sketches, sometimes of the same things, with improvement evident over the years. The later pages were full of colorful images of landscapes and city life, friends and people he knew.

There were lots of pictures of Charisa, from the earliest days on. Best friend; object of a crush left unrealized until his interest had finally been returned as something beyond deepest friendship. Or so he'd thought. _Is she waiting? Mrs. Elric waited for Fullmetal for years. Riza Mustang followed Flame around as a subordinate and could do nothing until they had met their goals. But when they were done, the girls were waiting. Would she wait for me? Am I worth it? _

He found the blank page and looked out at the scenery beyond. Well, whether he was or not, he wanted to remember this place; its peace, tranquility, and beauty. Maybe someday he'd show it to Charisa. Maybe she'd understand.

**October 2****nd****, 1961**

"I'd forgotten just how good nature feels," Ethan smiled, eyes closed as he felt the warmth of the sun contrasting with the brisk coolness in the air on his face.

"You really have become Xingese," Lia giggled from in front of him. "Come on, let's finish these exercises and then take a break."

"Right." Ethan opened his eyes and looked at the beautiful blond whose arms he was gripping for balance. He had progressed from having to do leg exercises lying down on his bed at home or in therapy at the hospital to walking short distances with assistance; a walker or a person. He still spent most of his time in the wheelchair, but he was determined to get rid of it as soon as he could manage! He was glad they had come out to the park for today's home session. The weather was nice, and he didn't mind being out in public. It was quiet today in the mid-afternoon. School was out for the day, but not everyone was home from work so this part of the park, away from the playground, was almost empty.

Ethan focused on her face, willing his legs to work as he took one small step, then another, following her down the sidewalk. His legs were aching from exertion, but it was a far cry better from the agony they had been in when he first started doing exercises stuck flat on his back in bed that were little more than Lia moving his legs as he bent and unbent them.

"And we're done," Lia smiled a few minutes later. "You did great."

"When I don't break a sweat doing ten yard laps at a hobble I'll agree with you," Ethan chuckled as she helped him back down into his chair. Despite his limited mobility, he tried not to let frustration get to him. He was making excellent improvement, even if it felt ridiculously slow. He was _trying_ to be an exception to the rule about doctors making horrible patients. He wasn't entirely sure how well he was succeeding.

"Okay fine, you did _almost_ great," Lia smirked slightly, bending over to kiss him. "Feel better?"

"I do now," Ethan chuckled.

"Good," she replied. "So let's see about getting you a snack." She stepped around to push him.

"You know, Mom put a motor on this thing for a reason," Ethan pointed out, amused, but also touched that she wanted to take care of him.

"Me pushing is still faster than that motor," Lia pointed out matter-of-factly. "That's just so you can get around by yourself when no one else is around. So, shall we go get you a snack?"

"Did I say I was hungry?" Ethan asked.

"Are you going to try and tell me you're not?" Lia chuckled as she started pushing.

Ethan sighed. "No," he admitted. He had been ravenous ever since his body had cleared itself of the illness, though a lot of what he ate went as energy towards therapy lately and building muscle again. He hated being an invalid. "I could definitely go for a hotdog or ice cream or something."

"There's a cart near the playground I think," Lia replied and steered him in that direction.

The park was a little more crowded than when they had come by earlier. A few parents with kids, mostly watching as the children ran about rambunctiously. Lia paid for ice cream cones for them both, then parked Ethan by a bench and sat down.

"Hey, isn't that Maes Mustang?" Ethan squinted in the sunlight until a fluffy cloud drifted past and gave him a little shade. He saw a dark haired man with three kids; two girls and a boy. The boy looked about seven years old. The girls looked about five and maybe two and a half. Yep, that was them.

"Looks like him," Lia agreed. As Maes turned in their direction she lifted her arm and waved, smiling.

Maes looked startled for a moment, then waved back. He scooped up Rochelle and headed in their direction. Little Roy and Dorothéa continued to play on the swings. "I wasn't expecting to see you out here today," he grinned at them both by way of greeting.

"I could say the same thing about you," Ethan chuckled. "Playing hookie?"

Maes shrugged, though Ethan thought his smile faltered a little. "Elena's out of town on a business trip; she's been working with the diplomatic corps you know. Had the chance to go to Creta for a couple of weeks. So I've been taking off early in the afternoons to spend some time with the kids."

"Well that's nice," Lia smiled. "They seem to be enjoying it."

Rochelle, squirming in her father's arms, seemed determined to prove otherwise. "Down Daddy! Wanna play!"

"All right," Maes put her down. "But stay close! Roy! Keep an eye on your sister!" He bellowed back as Rochelle ran back to her brother and sister. It wasn't far.

"Do I have to?" The dark haired boy asked, whining slightly. "I've already gotta watch Théa!"

"Yes you've got to!" Maes replied, looking slightly exasperated.

"Looks like you could use a break," Ethan commented with a grin.

Maes' smile faded into an exhausted nod as he dropped down on the bench on the other side of Lia and leaned back, resting his arms on the back. "They're great kids, but they're a real handful when their mother's not home."

There was something in his tone. Ethan was far too observant to miss it. Maes looked tired. Not sleepy tired, but drained.

"Missing Elena?" Lia asked sympathetically.

"Of course," Maes gave a soft chuckle. "She's been gone a week. She loves these trips though, and they love having her working for the government. She charms the pants of anyone they have her talk to. Well, not literally," he added, blushing suddenly.

"We got what you meant," Lia chuckled. "I can see why though. She's charming and well educated and so easy to talk to."

Maes nodded. "She's amazing," he agreed. "I'm glad she gets the opportunity to do something she loves so much. The kids are getting used to it too. She always comes back energized and they're so happy to see her."

"Do they give you much trouble?" Ethan asked, trying not to push buttons, but curious just why that smile didn't seem to touch Maes' eyes.

"No more than any other kids," Maes shook his head, chuckling again. "Nah. They're a little fractious, but they listen and we have a good time too. I just find it a little easier if they bounce out all their energy before we get home in the evening," he added with a wink.

"Of course," Lia giggled, looking over towards the three.

Ethan glanced that way and saw them too. Roy and Théa had gotten down off the swings and the older girl was playing with Rochelle in the sandbox while their brother clambered limberly up to the top of the monkey bars. "Dad used to say the same thing about us," he admitted easily. "In fact," he added, "I think he still feels that way sometimes!"

"Well you all do seem to keep things exciting," Lia shook her head, smiling fondly at him.

"I'm trying not to," Ethan promised.

"Maybe you should try harder," Maes chuckled.

"Can't do much more right now," Ethan grinned. "I'm stuck in a chair most of the time and so all I do lately is what I'm told."

Maes looked slightly abashed. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

"Hey, I'm not offended," Ethan replied. "Don't worry about it. Give me a few months and it'll be like it never happened."

"Except that you will continue to take better care of yourself," Lia teased.

"Why?" Ethan winked at her. "I have you for that."

Maes was watching them both, looking perhaps amused, then slightly irritated, though it didn't look like it was with _them._ "I look forward to seeing how you handle the same pickle, Ethan," he grinned. "Three kids and a few days of playing house-dad will drive any man nuts."

"I'm looking forward to that too," Lia giggled with an expression that still made Ethan blush. He knew far too well that Lia was ready for not just marriage and finalizing the last steps of their relationship, but starting to feel edgy about wanting a family too.

Ethan was hoping to wait just a little longer! He wanted Lia all to himself for a while first before sharing her with kids. "We'll get there when the time is right," he replied enigmatically.

Maes snickered as he stood up again. "Good answer. Well, good to see you. I should see about getting them home for a bath. I'll be knocking sand out of shoes for half an hour as it is. See you!" he gave a jaunty wave as he headed back over towards the kids.

"Must be tough," Lia commented quietly when Maes was out of range. "Balancing their work lives and family with so much travel."

"A State Alchemist can't stay home all the time," Ethan replied simply. "Dad tried, but even he had to go on missions from time to time. We were lucky Mom didn't have nearly as many trips, but she did have some, and they balanced it out just fine."

"It's impressive," Lia agreed. "I'm glad neither of us will have to do much traveling," she reached out and squeezed his hand. "I like having you around, and I'm not entirely sure you'd survive without me."

She was kidding, but Ethan knew there was a note of truth behind those words. He picked up her hand and kissed it. "I know I wouldn't," he smiled, gazing into her eyes. "If I go anywhere, I always want you with me."

* * *

Maes was grateful when he finally got the kids into bed and had some time to himself. Not that he didn't have it every night. The problem was; it was a double edged sword. He finally had quiet, but he didn't have Elena home this week to enjoy the peace with him. He thought about running into Ethan Elric and his fiancée earlier today, and couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at how much time they spent together. He and Elena had had time like that once. But even though he tried to keep to assignments at home as much as possible, Maes had found himself out on assignments plenty of times. Now, with her traveling too, and always on schedules that did not overlap to avoid both leaving the kids at the same time… he was beginning to feel like he hardly saw his wife.

He went downstairs and sat down on the couch, absently flipping through the mail he had picked up off the entryway floor on the way in. Bill; bill; local paper… telegram? Maes tore it open and his heart lifted; it was from Elena! So she had written him even though the trip wasn't as long as her last one. A telegram came much faster than a letter. This one had been wired that morning.

_Good morning my love! I hope all is well with you and the children. I am enjoying our talks with the new President of Creta. Arius is as excellent a politician as his father, and his brother Ziro has been most accommodating in seeing that we are not bored on our visit. I most enjoyed the Cretan opera last evening. The arias were beautiful! I only wish I had the voice to try them myself. Ziro has promised to show me the ancient water gardens tomorrow. Negotiations go well. Easily enough really I hardly feel necessary though I appreciate the experiences I am getting on this trip. Give our darlings my love. I miss you all, Elena. _

Arius and Ziro Argyros were the sons of Elias Argyros, the man with whom Maes' father had negotiated the major lasting treaties between Amestris and Creta. Since then another President had moved in with a much more isolated and neutral political position, but Arius Argyros had just been elected and of course that meant the need to reestablish negotiations and relations hopefully as deep as they had been before. Maes didn't blame Rehnquist for that, or for sending his wife. Elena really was that charming, and a wonderful choice for talks regarding international policy and unity given her family background.

Still, he couldn't help but feel foolish as he glared at Ziro Argyros' name. Arius was married with two children, but Ziro was still single; a bit of a ladies' man Maes remembered from family visits. Was it possible the younger Argyros was making a move on his wife? Not that Maes thought Elena would ever cheat on him. She was by far too noble a woman for such a thing. But would she recognize such seduction?

Maes shook his head and put down the telegram. Ridiculous! Of course Elena would see through anything, and politely turn him down. Ziro wasn't some dark masked man stealing other men's wives anyway. He was a good guy and fun to hang out with when they were kids. He'd certainly never stirred up more than minor scandals that all proved to be overblown media anyway. Though he and Ziro had gotten into a fight once – when Maes was ten and Ziro was twelve – over who would get to marry Sara Elric. Maes recalled winning the scrap, but they both knew how well that had turned out!

No, his jealousy was because he was lonely; he missed his wife. It was just that simple. He should relax, pour himself a drink, find a book, and curl up and relax. Tomorrow he would make sure to wire Elena back and tell him how glad he was she was having a good time and that they loved her and looked forward to her coming home.

He would not tell her how much he wished she would stay home. She needed freedom. She was a woman of action, not a bird to be caged or a brood mare. He had not seen her so happy in years.

Maes wasn't sure he wanted to answer the _why_ that came into his head at that thought. He was fairly certain he wouldn't like it.


	10. Chapter 10

**October 14****th****, 1961**

There, that was the last box! Tore wiped sweat from his face as he piled the last box of canned goods in the store room of the small grocery he'd been working at the last couple of weeks as a temp job. He'd been lucky. Their usual guy had come down ill with something nasty and the owner had been willing to hire a strong back for some grunt labor. Stranger or no, Tore was willing to work for the low pay and long hours because it was the only job he'd managed to find. He was bunking out on the store room floor at night – working night security the owner called it – but it was better than sleeping out in the rainstorms that racked northern Amestris in the fall. They were cold ones too; and frost was already on the ground most mornings.

Tore had heard winter came early in the north, and he was learning that for himself. He wouldn't be surprised to see snow before November. At least the work kept him warm! But he would be out of a job again in a few days, and he'd need to find something else or move on.

He was of two minds about that. He wasn't sure staying was anything more than a dead end, but he wasn't sure which way to go. North took him further into the winter, which he did not particularly enjoy. South maybe? Towards West City could be interesting. He had never been there.

He pondered his options as he dropped down on an empty crate outside the back of the store, popped open a soda can, and drank it down in a couple of long gulps, quenching his thirst. He just didn't know what he wanted to do. There was nothing really to tie him here. Weeks of effort had found him only a temporary job, and a couple of really hot girls who didn't mind making out with the new guy in town. Not that he could afford much in the way of dates.

"Help me!" A scream, definitely female, carried sharply through the crisp air. "Somebody help!"

Tore was on his feet in an instant. Not that he had any idea what he was doing, or even if it was a serious call for help. He still needed to look into it. He hurried out of the back alley and around the corner. He heard shrieking, and then what sounded like male laughter. Another turn brought him into sight of about what he had expected; a group of guys, a gang judging by the generally matching look, and the fact each one had a green bandana on their head, or arm, or tied to their leg. He counted about eight or ten of them, all surrounding a pretty teenage girl in a yellow checkered dress and a white sweater. Her school books were down in the mud at the side of the city road, and one of the guys had her by the back of the dress and the other had his hand on her breast.

"Oh c'mon, Missy," the guy was grinning. "You can't get away with turning me down like that you know. You'll be my girlfriend now, won't you? I'll protect you. You never need to worry about anything."

"Get away from me!" Missy squirmed and tried to get away, but the guy grabbed her tighter, his arm around her and pulled her hard against him. "Help me!" she screamed again. "Narkos get off me!"

The group around them laughed and moved in tighter.

Tore felt his blood boiling. He reached into his pocket, feeling for the chalk he always kept there, and pulled it out, drawing on the pavement beneath his feet while they were distracted. He could end this. As soon as he had a circle drawn, he stood up straight. "Hey you!" He shouted. "Leave the lady alone!"

He got the attention of the entire group at once. They looked his way sharply, saw one man standing alone, and started laughing. A couple of them moved toward him.

"Nice rescue party, Missy," Narkos laughed. "This loser's the only guy who'd come to your pathetic calls. Everyone knows you really want me."

"No I don't!" She shrieked, struggling harder.

"Better let her go," Tore replied calmly. "Or you're going to regret it later." He wouldn't kill anyone, but he was definitely going to make them wish they'd never picked on the girl!

"Guys, show this Southie what it means to get involved in our business," Narkos snickered meanly.

The punks spread out and moved toward Tore. Not that he had any intention of letting them anywhere near him. He dropped to the ground, bringing one hand down on the transmutation circle.

A ring of visible electricity, dancing and crackling in the air appeared around him, several feet in diameter. Two guys, caught in it, leapt backwards yelping in pain. The rest stopped dead. "I said let her go."

Narkos' dark eyes looked startled, then angry. He shoved the girl down on the ground and cracked his knuckles. "You're proving to be a real pain." He strode forward towards Tore's loop like it was nothing, and before Tore realized what he had in mind, the guy had done a diving roll _under _the ring of electricity and slammed into Tore, knocking him off the transmutation circle and sending them both slamming onto the pavement.

Fists hit Tore's face almost immediately. _Shit! _He fought back, gaining purchase and managing to get in a decent hit or two as he tried to get the guy off! But then he felt himself being dragged half-upright only to find the rest of the gang had moved in.

It turned into a free-for-all in moments. Tore knew how to fight, but he'd never dealt with a group-on-one scenario like this. He found himself blocking to defend as much as anything else as he was shoved around, blows raining from every angle. He was being lifted, tossed, dragged…

He felt something hard and wet slam against him, and it took Tore several seconds to realize it was the ground. Grass and mud…they must be on the edge of town. Something hurt somewhere inside, but he couldn't tell quite what. Ribs maybe? His nose was throbbing, his face felt swollen. His arms, back, legs; everything screamed. _So this is what tenderized steak feels like._

Tore refused to groan as he forced himself to his hands and knees and opened his eyes. He was looking at a pair of black leather boots. Blood dripped slowly from a cut on Tore's forehead, and his mouth. He could taste the hot tangy saltiness.

"Get the hell out of town, freak," Narkos' voice came from above. "I see you again and we won't let you live. Stay out of my business. Now get up."

Tore struggled to comply, his side bursting in fresh pain as he stood up. Yeah, cracked ribs definitely; maybe broken. "I'm going," he growled, looking Narkos in the eye as he moved past him and hobbled out onto the road.

He knew better than to look back immediately. He just kept going, one hand over his left ribs, which hurt worse with each passing moment. Only after a hundred yards did he glance back. The gang was still standing there, watching and jeering. He couldn't see Missy though. If she was smart, she'd run off when they attacked him.

Tore didn't want to bet that there would have been any help coming if he'd held out any longer. No one cared what happened to a chump who got in the way of a gang on their turf. He turned around and kept walking. He'd have to get out of sight. He wasn't sure they wouldn't follow him, nor that he could get back to his own stuff. All he had on him was his wallet, and it was a miracle he still had that.

The steel gray clouds above him rumbled ominously, the rain that had been threatening all day finally let loose as it began to patter around him in a steady downpour. Soaked in seconds, Tore did the only thing he could. He kept walking.

* * *

"Mommy I can't lift the blanket up the stairs!" Urey Elric called out plaintively.

"I've got it," Coran interjected, leaving the kitchen where he was helping Aldon make dinner and picking up the blanket his little brother was trying manful to haul upstairs to his room.

"Thank you, sweetie," Cassie smiled from the couch, where she had been immediately guided by Aldon when she got home; he insisted she put her feet up and relax.

Aldon smiled as he watched her shift a little, find a comfortable position, and settle again, watching them all at work. Coran and Art were helping with dinner, Urey was trying to clean, and Ian was mostly doing his duty as youngest by staying out of the way! Though he was at least trying to sweep the floor with the broom, however ineffective it might be. Aldon wasn't about to discourage the behavior!

Urey, freed from the blanket, scrambled back over to the pile of blocks and started putting them in their basket. Aldon watched him as he stirred the stew pot, noting that he was going to have to pull out another size up in clothing out of the pile of clothes they always had waiting for the next boy to grow into them. Urey, unlike his brothers, tended to pudge more before a growth spurt. The others were always leaner. Right now he was definitely between spurts but nearing the next, looking decidedly chubby.

Convinced that dinner would be ready in a few minutes, Aldon left the stew alone to help the boys with some more of the pick-up. It was nice now that they were all old enough to help. It meant less work for Cassie, and more time herding for him than trying to herd and do all the chores when she was tired! At least she'd had more of a break between Ian and this one than Urey and Ian. "Enjoying yourself?" He smiled at Cassie.

"Immensely," she replied with a relaxed sigh. "It feels good to get off my feet and have a swarm of cute boys do my bidding."

"If they weren't our sons I'd be jealous," Aldon assured her as he folded the blankets Urey and Ian had used earlier to build a blanket-and-pillow fort.

"If they weren't our sons I'd expect you to be jealous," Cassie giggled. "Is dinner ready? It smells wonderful."

"Hungry?" Aldon asked unnecessarily.

"Famished," Cassie confirmed. "On my way home I was imagining how tasty the cows down the road would be if grilled up with garlic and onions."

"Then it's a good thing it's a beef stew," Aldon laughed.

After dinner, Aldon saw to getting the boys to bed while Cassie took a shower and got dressed for bed. When Aldon came back downstairs though, she was one more on the couch, a cup of hot tea on the table next to an unopened book. The look on her face said more clearly than words that what she really wanted was some alone time with him. Aldon was quite happy to comply!

Aldon curled up on the couch, with Cassie leaning back between his legs and using Aldon as a backrest. "So what's the first thing you want to do when this one's born?" Aldon asked, wrapping his arms around her from behind, his hands resting lightly on top of her belly. Five months of developing child was a soft, yet firm and pleasant feeling beneath his hands.

"Go on a diet," Cassie quipped, turning her head enough he could see her smirk.

"What for?" Aldon asked, kissing her cheek. "You look fantastic."

"I look like a farmwife," Cassie argued.

"I hate to break it to you," Aldon smiled, "But you live on a farm, and you're my wife."

"And before I was pregnant five times I looked like a dancer," Cassie retorted, "Because I was. It's not the structural changes I mind, it's the fact that I never get to lose all the weight before we have another one."

"I like you curvy," Aldon disagreed. A few extra pounds on his wife was, in his opinion, a good thing given how slender built she was and how easily she got cold!

"Then get used to disappointment," Cassie replied. "I've got some jeans in the closet just screaming to be worn again."

"From when, Briggs?" Aldon teased.

"Hardly," Cassie laughed. "You think I could get back into those now? My hips would never manage it." They had been wider by structure, Aldon knew, ever since Coran, though more Art. After the four boys, her hip bones had always been further apart. "No, these are from before Urey."

Aldon tried to think back to pictures of Cassie after Art but before Urey. Yeah, that was a nice image too. "All right then," he smiled. "I can live with that."

"I'm glad I have your approval," Cassie snickered. "What can I say, I miss my flexibility and the energy I had then."

"Did I say I was going to stop you?" Aldon asked when she kept going. "You do what you want to. You're beautiful however you are. Sexy too," he added as one hand absently stroked her stomach. His wife was _hot_ when she was pregnant! Maybe that was part of their problem, he thought to himself. Or rather, _his_ problem! He had about as much self-control when it came to Cassie now as he'd had when they first moved up to Briggs. Of course, she had to be just as willing, he rationalized.

"Glad you think so, handsome" Cassie replied, relaxing further into his embrace. "So, we have a very important decision to make."

"Oh, what's that?" Aldon asked.

"We have no idea what to name this baby," Cassie pointed out, one hand resting on his. "At least, not if it's another boy." They had run out of their original list of possible boy names with Urey! They hadn't had the chance to touch their girl names list, which kept changing anyway as their tastes and ideas did.

"Guess we ought to be prepared," Aldon agreed. "Though I'm sure whatever you like is fine."

"How do you feel about Ethelred?"

"Umm… can I amend my previous statement?" Aldon laughed. _Ethelred Elric?! _What would the poor kid get called, Red? Certainly not Ethel!

"Can I amend my decision where I agreed to sleep with you five months ago?" Cassie teased.

"You're not serious about that name are you?" Aldon asked cautiously. The last thing he wanted to do was really make her upset.

Cassie turned her head again and seemed to be giving him a long, contemplative look. "No," she finally admitted. "I think I like your idea from last week better. At least on a boy's name."  
"What, you didn't like Castillia for a girl?" Aldon asked, though the name had been a teasing choice to begin with.

"Frankly, no," Cassie said.

"So we nix Ethelred and Castillia," Aldon laughed. "Where does that leave us?"

"With an entire alphabet of possibilities to sort through in just over four months," Cassie replied. "Why did you have to have a last name that's so hard to come up with good names for?"

"Ask Mom that question," Aldon snickered. "She's the one who married Dad."

* * *

"More hot chocolate?" Winry asked as she picked up her cup and stood up from the couch.

"You bet," Edward grinned, holding up his own mug.

"Yes please," Lia replied

She was immediately followed by Ethan's reply of "Yeah!"

"I'm glad it's so popular," Winry chuckled as she put the cups on a tray and took them all with her.

"After a long day, there's nothing better than your chocolate, Mom," Ethan assured her.

"Long day," Lia teased, poking him in the shoulder playfully with one finger. "I spend all day convincing teenagers they're supposed to be learning the information I put in front of them, then half my evenings grading it. In the meantime I'm taking care of you."

"See," Ethan snickered. "That's definitely a long day."

Edward watched the banter with amused pleasure. It was kind of like looking back in time, to moments he remembered fondly when he and Winry were younger. Of course, neither Ethan nor Lia had nearly the fiery tempers he and Winry had. That was definitely a good thing. Tonight the two of them were snuggled up on the rest of the couch. Ethan had made the walk from his room to the dinner table, then the couch, with Lia's tender assistance and seemingly endless patience.

"Here you go," Winry grinned when she came back, setting the cup down in front of him.

"Just in time to enjoy the show," Ed grinned, speaking softly.

"You know I heard that," Ethan snickered, cutting off his banter with Lia to look over at them.

"You'll forgive us the indulgence," Winry giggled. "The only rule about flirting in this house is if you do it in front of other people you invite commentary and an audience."

"Well then maybe we should get a room," Ethan countered.

"Ethan!" Lia smacked him lightly on the arm with one hand, her face flushing.

Ed couldn't help smirking. "Maybe you should."

**October 15****th****, 1961**

His skin felt blistering hot, inside and out, but the cold damp surrounding him was no consolation. Hot, yet shivering, Tore stumbled through the rainy mountain wilderness, the world blurring around him. A haze of pain and agony felt like his only companion, which it was.

Tore had staggered out into the woods until he had collapsed the night before, fortunate enough to find the leaky remains of half an old farmhouse. The other half had collapsed, but it was a floor to sleep on instead of mud, and drips instead of a downpour.

He had woken with chills, shakes, sweats, and dragged himself back out into the rain. He had to find better shelter. Unfortunately, by then he had no sense of which direction he had come in front the night before. Finding it hard to focus, he had followed a path towards what he hoped would be a road.

Tore lucked out; there was a road that paralleled his path, though he saw no one as he stumbled, fell, crawled, and tottered his way painfully onward. The tears running down his face felt neither hot, nor cold; merely sticky compared to the rain.

In a way, it was cleansing; the rain cool for moments as it hit his face; washing the blood from his head, his mouth, and a few scrapes elsewhere. While he could not see them, Tore was sure he was covered in dark bruises; he could feel them forming already.

Tore was convinced he had at least two broken ribs. They hurt worse than anything he'd ever dealt with before. Breathing hurt; walking hurt; even lying down in the dirt hurt.

The road in front of him seemed long, closed in by the surrounding trees, and hopelessly desolate. Tore stumbled and tripped repeatedly until, finally, he did not have the strength or the will to crawl up out of the muddy grass on the verge of the empty dirt road.

Cold, muddy water blew against his face in small gusts, but at least he wasn't resting directly in standing water. Tore wasn't sure he had the energy to get up, sick and injured as he was, even if it meant drowning in a half-inch puddle.

Was this how the world was going to end for him? No glorious finish? No triumphant return? No beautiful girl welcoming him home or anyone saying they were glad to see him, now wipe his feet and stay for dinner. No; he would die out here, alone and forgotten. Maybe someone would find his corpse and be kind enough to bury it instead of letting it get eaten by wildlife.

It really did all end in a whimper, didn't it?


	11. Chapter 11

**October 16****th****, 1961**

"Going in early aren't you?" Edward asked with a chuckle as he kissed Winry at the breakfast table.

"Have to," Winry chuckled. "I'm negotiating a new contract and interviewing a couple of potential new employees. It's going to be a busy day."

"No wonder you're all dolled up in that suit," Ed grinned. "You look good."

"Why thank you," Winry smiled back. It was a new suit, Ed noted; dress skirt just barely below the knees with matching coat and a white blouse. He really liked the burgundy coloring of the rest of the outfit. He often wondered if Winry got things in reds sometimes just because she knew he liked the color. "Too bad the guys I'm talking to today probably won't even notice. Not one of them is over thirty-five."

"Oh they'll notice," Ed disagreed, standing up and pulling her close for another kiss. "A man would have to be dead not to notice you."

"Just don't get me all rumpled," Winry kissed him back. "Meetings are first. Besides, shouldn't you be getting ready for work?"

"What I can't go to Headquarters in this?" Ed snickered. He was still in shorts and a t-shirt, hair down, and he hadn't shaved yet this morning.

"Somehow I think that blows military regulations even more than your usual attire." Winry shook her head in amusement. "I don't think even the ladies would appreciate that look as much as I do."

Ed had just opened his mouth to retort when the phone rang beside them. "Saved," he grinned as he picked it up. Who would be calling at this hour? "Good morning."

There was a moment of nothing on the other end of the line, then a soft female voice. "Excuse me, is this the Closson residence?"

Ed froze. Closson? "Excuse me?"

"Sorry." She hesitated. "Does a Terrence Closson live at that address? I might have the wrong number."

"No!" Ed interjected before she could hang up. "I mean yes! This is his residence. Why are you calling? He's not here." He figured it couldn't be someone from school. After all, they all knew he was gone.

"I know," she replied, "Because he's here."

Ed almost dropped the phone. "What?"

"Ed, what is it?" Winry hadn't left. She was standing there waiting with a worried expression.

Ed motioned her to be quiet with a _just a minute_ look and a gesture. "You say he's there. Where are you?" Winry stepped in closer so she could hear. He didn't say no.

"Outside Porto," the girl continued. "I… I found Terrence in the woods yesterday evening when I was walking home from work. My brother helped me carry him in. He's hurt and… and very sick. I found his wallet in his bag and it had this address so I called information to get the number."

Ed could hardly believe what he was hearing. Worry was dampened by a huge relief that Tore was at least alive, even if he sounded to be in pretty bad condition. "Thank you for calling," he replied. "He's been out of touch for a while and we were worried."

"So you are his family," the girl's voice sounded relieved.

"We are," Ed nodded. "I'm his foster father." It was the shorter, less complicated explanation.

"No wonder I confused you." She giggled slightly. "I'm sorry Mister…"

"Elric." In his head, Ed was already trying to remember exactly where Porto was. He was pretty sure the train lines ran up near that area if he remembered it right. "Look, I'd like to come get him if you don't mind. Could I have your address?"

"Of course! I'm Lainie Alton." She explained how to find their house, which was actually South of town so he would be coming up from the town just below it, which had a train station. "I'm afraid the two boulders at the road are our best landmark," she apologized at the end. "We're very rural."

"That's all right," Ed grinned. He knew rural. "I'm sure I can find the place. Thanks so much Miss Alton. I'll be there in a few days." As soon as they hung up a minute later, Ed turned to Winry and grabbed her up in a hug as he let out an uncontrolled whoop of relief! "We've got him! I'll get on the train today."

"Good," Winry laughed, hugging him tightly back. "Go bring that boy home where he belongs."

"You'd better believe it." Ed replied vehemently. There was no way he was going to let Tore refuse to come home. He really wanted an explanation from that kid though! "I guess I really had better get dressed," he grinned sheepishly. "And call Al about covering my classes and let him know I'll be gone for a few days."

Tore was alive. More importantly, he was safe, no matter his condition. Well could come again later. Besides, by the time Ed got there he would probably be fine. Ed just hoped Tore wouldn't have left by the time he arrived!

* * *

A soft white light was Tore's first clue that he _wasn't_ dead. The next was the returning sensations that blossomed as he slowly came out of dreamless unconsciousness. Mud and grass were not soft, cool, and smooth. Nor did they smell like cotton and fabric softener.

_I wonder who would do the laundry in heaven._

The next thing to return was sound. Rain beating down on a wood-shingled roof. He knew it well now.

Other sensations returned, and they weren't so pleasant. His skin felt raw, hot, and swollen in places; bruises he was sure; fever. Something odd on his forehead felt like a bandage. A deep breath made his ribs flare painfully and he lost the air with a sudden gasp.

"Oh, you're awake." The voice was quiet; a young woman's voice.

_Where the hell am I? Well…not there obviously. _Tore slowly opened his eyes. The soft light was coming from a lamp by the bed on which he had figured out he was lying. He flinched, then glanced sideways, trying to find the person he had heard. "Where am I?"

"My house," the voice replied, and a pretty brunette in a pale green dress stepped into view just off his right side. "Well, mine and my brother's. Welcome, Terrence."

Her words threw him off. "How…do you know my name?"

"It's on your ID," she replied, blushing slightly. "I found it in your pocket."

"You…" Tore realized he was currently wearing nothing but his shorts under the sheets.

She seemed to get what he was thinking, and blushed even as she smiled again. "My brother got you into bed. I could hardly carry you myself, and your clothes were soaked and caked in mud. You have some very bad injuries. What happened?"

Tore tried to sit up, and very quickly gave that up as a bad idea. "Ah…"

"My brother thinks you have some broken ribs," the girl replied. "Hold still! Of course Brandon would know. He's had a few himself." She moved closer and adjusted the pillows under his head. "We haven't been able to get a doctor here. Our town doesn't have one and the one south of here doesn't make house calls."

"Great for him," Tore grimaced. "As for what happened… I tried to rescue a girl from…some thugs. It…backfired." Talking was difficult because taking full breaths hurt!

She chuckled. "So you're a hero then. I'm Lainie by the way; Lainie Alton."

"Tore," he introduced himself, though she already knew his name was Terrence…didn't she? "That's what I go by I mean."

"Oh, all right," Lainie smiled. "I'm glad to see you awake. We found you yesterday evening and I was worried. You had a very high fever last night."

"I feel like I've….still got one," Tore replied. Thinking straight took a lot of effort.

"Well you do, but it's down quite a bit," Lainie explained. "Though I think the last fifteen hours of sleep have done you a lot of good."

_Fifteen hours? _Even accounting for the fact he had no idea what time he had passed out the day before, Tore suspected it had to be mid-morning of the next day. "Apparently."

He heard water pouring and a moment later she held a glass up to his head. "Here, you need to drink. You're dehydrated. I tried to get you to drink last night, but you weren't cooperative sometimes."

"Sorry," he flashed a weak smile and then put up with her assistance as she helped him get his head and the cup at an angle where he wouldn't drown. He polished off two glasses of water that way.

"That's better," she nodded, satisfied. "We couldn't do much for your ribs, but I treated all the bruises with liniment and cleaned and bandaged the open cuts. Your nose looks pretty bad, but I don't think it's actually broken."

His nose? Tore put a hand up and very delicately felt his face. He knew it ached like the rest of him; now he remembered why. "How bad does it look?"

"Honestly, you look like a raccoon," Lainie replied, holding up a small hand mirror. Tore winced. He had two dark black rings around his eyes and across his swollen nose.

"I do," he admitted. Actually, he looked pretty funny considering. "Thanks for finding me," he said as she put the mirror back down. "I didn't think I was going to make it."

"Lying out there in the woods, you might not have," Lainie nodded. "I'd hated to have to have called your family and told them we found you dead."

Tore snorted, turning his head to look out the window at the rain and the top of a bush. "I don't have a family."

Silence almost seemed to speak on its own until Tore started to get a bad feeling. "I take it you're not on good terms with your foster parents?"

He jerked his head around again so fast his head pounded with a fresh headache. "How do you know about them?" There was a horrible twisting in his gut.

Lainie looked slightly unsure. "Your identification had your address. I called the nearest operator and asked them to look up the number that matched it. Mr. Elric was very relieved to hear about you."

Tore tried to calm himself. What did it matter? All Edward knew was he was alive right? That was probably a good thing. Then maybe everyone in Central would stop worrying about him. "How relieved?"

"He said he was coming here," Lainie replied with even more hesitation. "He was very grateful. He should be here in a few days."

Tore swore under his breath. This wasn't what he wanted! He was lying here injured, sick, having lost everything he had in the world except one set of clothes and his wallet. He had failed, and now Edward of all people would know the full extent. Any hopes of returning to Central in triumph, having proven himself and proven he didn't need help were completely blown.

When he did not respond verbally, Lainie seemed to recover her nerve. "I don't know what happened between you, or how long it's been since you talked, but I know honest relief and gratitude when I hear it. Whatever your reasons, I think you should try and fix things. Aside from that, you're in no condition to leave and won't be for several days. So I suggest you relax. Stress will only slow the healing process."

She was right, at least about healing. Tore didn't want to tell her why he left. The reasons sounded so childish in his head now, even if he still believed he had been right to try. That it hadn't turned out the way he planned was his own damned fault. "Yeah…. Okay," he replied for lack of anything better. "Guess I can't argue with the pretty girl who saved my life."

Lainie's cheeks colored slightly even as she shook her head. "Great, I save a flirt. At least he's a cute flirt," she added a little more boldly. "I'm going to go downstairs and check on lunch. We're having grilled ham and cheese sandwiches and onion soup. You're lucky I can do a lot of my work out of the house."

"What do you do?" Tore asked as she stepped out of view.

"I'm a seamstress," Lainie replied. "My brother Brandon is a woodcutter. Our parents died a couple of years ago when a bad illness came through. It's easier to live here together than try and find separate places. I'll be right back," she promised. Then the door closed and Tore was left alone.

He turned his gaze back to the window. The rain seemed to fit his mood as a melancholy defeat spread through him. He was done. It was over then. There was no way Edward wouldn't try and drag him home, and given everything that happened, Tore didn't see how he could say no. Nor, in truth, did he entirely want to. Hadn't he missed Central? Hadn't he hated scraping by?

Maybe he should be grateful he'd passed out on the road near Lainie's house. It might be the only smart thing he had done in a while.

**October 20****th****, 1961**

Four days of travel by train brought Edward to the north-western side of Amestris, up into the lower mountains. He was glad he had packed his heavy winter coat; the weather was chilly and wet in the still morning when he got off the train and hired a taxi in town. He didn't feel the need to walk out as far as he expected to get to the Altons' house.

Fortunately the cab driver actually knew roughly where the place was on the road to Porto, and Ed was there less than an hour after breakfast, and glad he had eaten on the train! He hopped out of the cab in front of an old, small, two-story wooden farmhouse. It wasn't painted but was clearly well cared for. "Wait here please," Ed told the cab driver. "I'm not sure how long we'll be here. I'll let you know in a bit."

"Yes sir," the cabdriver nodded.

Ed knocked on the door and a pretty young woman opened the door. "Good morning," she smiled sweetly. "You must be Mr. Elric."

He nodded. "Nice to meet you Miss Alton. Is Tore awake?"

"Barely," she nodded, though she smiled. "He's just having breakfast. You're lucky. This is the earliest he's been up yet. Come on in," she stepped out of the door so Ed could enter, and closed it behind him. "My brother is already out working for the day. Please, come upstairs. We've had Tore in the spare bedroom."

Ed felt quite comfortable in the cozy little farmhouse as Lainie led him upstairs. Of course, he had spent enough time in houses like that to appreciate it. When they got to the top of the stairs Lainie opened the door to the right and poked her head in. "Tore, Mr. Elric is here."

"Let him in," said the familiar voice, sounding resigned.

Ed stepped past Lainie into the little room. Tore was lying in bed, his upper body propped up against a pile of pillows, and a book was lying open on the covers. He was eating a bowl of hot cereal that smelled like it had fruit and maple syrup in it. "Well it looks like you're doing all right."

* * *

Tore would have bolted if he thought he had any chance of getting away in this condition. "You came." Not that he hadn't been expecting it, but he still wasn't sure how glad he was to see Edward under this circumstance. Not after their last conversation.

"Of course I did," Edward snorted. "So… how was your little excursion into the world as a full fledged alchemist?"

Perhaps he didn't mean to sound condescending, but Tore wasn't willing to give him the benefit of that doubt. Still, he looked away. "Not quite according to plan."

Edward sat down on the edge of the bed. "That's because you've been trying to act like something you're not. At least I was always myself," Ed sighed and here came the lecture. "You have to be who you are. You can't rush growing up without consequences, even if it's necessary to grow up faster than most." He shocked Tore then by leaning over and giving him a tight hug. "You idiot…."

Tore felt momentarily awkward, irritated, and yet oddly reassured at the same time. He bristled slightly. "At least I did my best. What do you care anyway?"

Edward sat back with a stunned and angry look. "You think we weren't worried? You're a part of the family. You have been for five years!" He dropped the hug.

"Well you sure didn't act like it," Tore snapped back.

Edward shook his head. "Of course I was pissed. You weren't using any common sense. I just don't want to see you do something that gets you hurt."

Well that was an ironic sentiment given his current situation. Tore sighed. "Cause you're some kind of expert on this right?" he quipped.

"Sure am," Edward smirked. "Just ask Winry or Al about all the stupid things I did when I was your age." He sighed and his expression turned serious. "Did it ever occur to you that we would be worried when you _vanished_, the way you were when your mother disappeared?"

_Low blow._ Tore grimaced as he felt a twinge of old pain and new guilt. "I didn't really think about that," he admitted. "I'm sorry." He was pissed at Edward – still was a little – but he hadn't wanted to worry Mrs. Elric or anyone else. He hadn't really been thinking about anyone else's feelings, except maybe Charisa's. No, scratch that, if he'd been thinking about her feelings he would have listened when she told him not to leave. "Damn it, I screwed this whole thing up didn't I?"

Edward surprised him. "Oh, I don't know. Did you get to help anyone out? Do some work as an alchemist? Maybe learn a few things?"

"Well… yeah," Tore replied, not going into details. He'd done a few people some good, with and without alchemy, and he'd learned some very interesting lessons about the world…and about himself.

"Then it's not a wasted experience," Edward patted him on the shoulder. "The question now is, do you want to come home?"

Tore eyed him warily. "You mean you're not going to _drag _me home?"

Edward chuckled. "Since when has trying to force you to do anything ever done any good, kid? Winry and I have been worried sick about you for months. So has everyone else, like your friends. Charisa used to come by or call at least three times a week hoping we had some news of you."

Tore hadn't meant to leave her hurt like that. He'd wanted her to come with him! Then something in the man's words caught her attention. "Used to?"

"Well she's got less time now," Edward shrugged. "Given school's been back in for months. You have to remember though – life goes on even when you're not there. You choose to leave and you miss out on things. A lot can change and you have to decide if you're willing to miss out."

"What's been going on?" Tore asked, suddenly wondering if there was something critically important he was missing here. He noticed then that Edward looked tired, a little haggard – and not in the _doesn't sleep well on trains_ kind of sense.

"You want to know what you've missed?" Edward asked. "Well for starters, Ethan almost died in Xing."

"What?" Tore's eyes went wide. "What happened?"

"He caught a really nasty disease and it almost killed him," Edward replied. There was no humor here, just sadness. "That was months ago, and he's still recovering from how weak it left him."

"I didn't know." Tore felt horrible and worried now. Ethan was a friend, almost a brother, and he had almost died with Tore having no idea.

"He's home now," Edward replied. "Him and Lia both. They're getting married as soon as he finishes physical therapy."

"Well that's good news," Tore smiled weakly. "Took them long enough."

Edward laughed, the dour expression fleeing at least for the moment. "That's what I said. So, what do you say? Do you want to come home? We never wanted you to leave."

"But you didn't come after me either," Tore realized. "Not until now." If Edward had wanted to, he could have had half the military police and investigations hunting him down.

"We couldn't find you; not even Sciezka."

Tore blinked. He _had_ put Investigations to trying to find him!

It's your life," Edward sighed, continuing. "In the end you have to choose for yourself no matter what anyone else says; though you should give them the benefit of listening."

"Yeah," Tore shrugged. "You're right. I should have. I figured that out." He didn't have to think about it any further. "Yes, I want to come home."

"Good," Edward smiled, then reached out and turned Tore suddenly, pain radiating from his side! "Now let's get a look at those ribs."

"Owww!" Tore growled as Edward probed his side. "You're no doctor."

"No, but I am an expert on getting beat up," Edward chuckled. "After a while you learn a few things." He finished after a minute and let Tore lie back down more comfortably. "Mostly bruised, two cracked, and one broken but mending well. You think you'll be up for travel soon?"

"Yeah if you don't kill me," Tore complained.

Edward smirked. "You're lucky I'm not my old teacher. She'd have pulled me out of that bed and smacked me around for a while, injuries or no injuries." The smile faded a bit again as his thoughts obviously turned serious. Great, like Tore needed more of that. "So… you've been passing yourself off as eighteen. Do I want to know how?"

Yeah, Tore really didn't want to have this conversation. "It was easy."

Edward seemed to get the message. He looked at Tore's wallet on the table and picked it up, pulling out his ID and scowling at it. "So I see." He pocketed it right there.

"Hey, that's mine!" Tore objected.

"You'll get it back when we get home," Edward replied firmly. "Until then I'm going to fix it and keep an eye on it."

Tore wanted to shout; to say it wasn't fair, but he didn't. He had lost a lot of his mentor's trust, and it was his own fault. He had done nothing to redeem himself as far as that went yet. "Sure, okay."

Edward smiled again then. "Well now, why don't you tell me a little of what you've been up to since May?"

Tore had the feeling it was going to be a long day.

**October 22****nd****, 1961**

Edward and Tore remained at the Alton's house until the next morning. The Fullmetal Alchemist had told the taxi to come back for them, and it did. Tore had given Edward a sketchy account of the places he had been, jobs he had held. He didn't mention girls and he glossed over most of his other activities. He really didn't need Edward knowing how many nights he'd spent hanging out in bars, playing pool, making out with women… no, that wouldn't help the situation. Besides, he hadn't nearly as much when he didn't have the money for it.

The first thing they did, which had Tore anxious, was go back to the town he had just left, where they got his belongings from the store owner he'd been working for, who was actually glad to know Tore was all right – the story had spread all over town of his attempt to take on the gang – and gave him the rest of his wages.

Then Edward dragged Tore in to see the town doctor, who had pretty much the same prognosis Edward had given; he was healing up fine and would be all right in a week or so. His fever long gone, bruises turning yellow; he just needed to heal up.

Tore was grateful when they got on the train without running into Narkos or his gang. _That_ story he had given Edward in some detail and had been glad that it seemed to put a better spin on what he had been up to.

The train stopped a day later in a town that Tore found familiar as soon as he and Edward stepped off onto the platform. Of course, he'd seen a lot of towns, but he couldn't forget this one. Lilah lived here.

"The train's taking on cargo in the back cars and we're not leaving until morning," Edward informed him. "Let's get a bite to eat and a room."

Tore nodded and said nothing. He was grateful that Edward headed toward one of the inns Tore had not gone into. They sat down at a table near the bar and Ed poured over the menu. "Good looking food in here," he commented before the waiter came over. Edward ordered a double-burger with cheese and all the toppings and a chocolate milkshake.

"Shouldn't an old man like you eat better?" Tore teased as he ordered the same thing only with a vanilla shake.

"Trips are exceptions, no matter what they're for," Edward smirked. "Besides, I'm having something with milk in it. I'm sure Winry would approve."

Probably, Tore had to admit, given how much his mentor hated straight milk. He had gone with the shake himself only after remembering, with a tinge of regret, that the really good local brew he'd had last time was now utterly off limits. He was a _kid_ again. He'd been living like an adult for so long; he'd almost forgotten that he wasn't.

The room was full of dinner guests, and their food had just come out when Tore saw a familiar form sauntering through the crowd. Not that he'd ever seen her in _that_ dress! Lilah's gown tonight was vibrant read, skin tight, with a straight, slit skirt that barely went to the knees and a neckline that seemed to bring her chest up and out until it looked like it might fall out. Yet it fit well and seemed classy instead of slutty. Her hair was up, make-up on, strappy heels on her feet when he saw her cross a spot where her feet were briefly visible. _She must be working tonight._ Tore averted his eyes before Edward could notice him watching, remembering what she'd done to him without anything more than her hands. He had never felt more like a man and a boy at the same time that afternoon. Now, he just felt like a boy again. Not that he liked that. So he focused on his food, eating his way hungrily through a very juicy burger.

"Hello, Terrence."

Tore turned around casually, smiling up at her and trying not to look nervous. Of course she would recognize him and come over. "Oh…hi Lilah."

"This good looking guy a friend of yours?" she smiled, and then winked at Edward.

Edward arched an eyebrow and glanced over at Tore. "You know her?"

Tore felt his face warm and hoped he wasn't blushing.

Lilah chuckled. "He's quite the sweet talker," she replied suggestively.

"WHAT?!"

Oh shit, he was a dead man! Still, if he hadn't thought he was about to breathe his last breaths, Tore might have found Edward's horrified expression more amusing. "Ummm….. yeah. Lilah, this is my alchemy teacher."

"Oooh… I like alchemists," Lilah replied. "What's your name, handsome?"

"Edward Elric," Edward replied flatly.

Lilah's hand froze just a couple of inches from touching Ed's shoulder, her eyes going a little wide. She dropped the hand and smiled genuinely, the flirting act gone. "Sorry, I didn't realize."

"It makes a difference?" Edward looked surprised for some reason Tore couldn't quite determine. Maybe the Fullmetal Alchemist was used to getting pestered by women?

Lilah seemed amused. "I don't make a point of _offering_ to married men. That's not my primary clientele."

"That's a refreshing change," Edward chuckled. "So how _do_ you know my student?"

"We had a nice conversation the last time he came through," Lilah commented, then winked. "Don't worry, Edward, I didn't damage him."

Edward's expression darkened again. "That's not what I'm concerned about."

Tore felt his temper flash with irritation. "Quit talking like I'm not here!"

That was a mistake. Edward's eyes flashed dangerously as he glanced sharply back in Tore's direction. "Fine. You can explain exactly what happened here, or you can do it at home with Winry. I'll even invite Charisa over for the story."

Tore's eyes bugged and he felt like he was being strangled. Oh hell!

"Easy there," Lilah dropped into a reasonable tone, her expression more serious. "I don't break the law. We fooled around a little and had a nice long talk about a few things. That's all. I should let you go," she stepped away. "It seems I've already made things awkward. 'Night boys." Then she turned and walked away.

Edward sat silent for several long seconds, and Tore felt every one of them land on him like a lead weight. Finally, his teacher spoke in a very low, quiet voice that made Tore even more nervous. "You are _so_ grounded when we get home."


	12. Chapter 12

**October 24****th****, 1961**

Edward couldn't wait to get back to Central, but he was glad he and Tore had a few days to talk and acclimate. The boy had been through a lot in the last few months, and while Ed was actually proud of a lot of what Tore had done and the things he had admitted to learning, he was glad to have him safely under wing again. Tore had assured him _vehemently_ that he and Lilah hadn't actually slept together, which was good, because if he'd slept with a prostitute Ed wasn't sure how badly he would have exploded, but it wouldn't have been pretty. He'd pushed the point to find out if Tore had slept with any _other_ girls. "If some girl could show up in Central with your brat in her arms, I want to know about it now."

The statement had made the point and Ed was convinced Tore hadn't done anything so foolish. He tried to stop thinking of Tore as _the boy_ but it was tough. He didn't look as much like a kid anymore. He was leaner, a little taller and more muscular. He had a bit of scruff by the end of the day. Aside from physical changes, there was a feel to him, something behind his eyes that Ed knew well. Tore had seen the world, and had found it not what he thought, but had gotten used to the reality. So maybe the last few months weren't a waste at all, but a hard learned lesson.

The last night on the train, Ed sat across from Tore in their berth, looking out the window at lights in the distance. "So, what do you plan to do now?" He finally asked into the quiet. He had been wondering for a while but Tore had given him enough to think about and absorb, and he knew the boy – young man – had a lot to think about too.

Tore looked over at him, startled, and did not answer immediately, obviously considering his words. "I want to be a State Alchemist."

It was probably the last statement Edward had ever expected to come out of the kid's mouth. "What made you decide that?" It was the best thing he could come up with to say that didn't sound like it was putting down the idea. He really wanted to see what had caused the change.

"It fits best with what I want to do," Tore replied. "I liked helping people, but just wandering isn't the best way to find people that need help all the time; especially not when that time gets taken up trying to survive. State Alchemists get to help more people because that's their whole mission. I mean, yeah you have to take orders, but the assignments come to you instead of the other way around right? And funding is covered so you don't spend all your time trying to find a place to stay or food to eat. That, and I'd always have someplace go back to."

Valid points so far; and the current military didn't have the abusive attack-dog alchemist image it had when Ed joined up. "You'll have to pass the State Exam. Classes for next year start in a couple of months. That's a lot to do on top of school if you're planning to try for it soon."

The look on Tore's face told Ed he wasn't going to like what Tore had to say next. Or at least, Tore didn't think he would. "I'm not going back to school," he replied evenly. "And I don't want to take the State program. I still learn best mostly on my own, and I want to finish this the way I began it. I need to."

Foolish or not, Ed understood that sentiment. "So you're going to focus on your alchemy training then. You really think you've got the self-discipline for it? Before you left you blew me off on a regular basis to go on dates."

Tore had the good grace to look embarrassed. "Yeah, sorry about that. Yes, I think I can handle it. I was just wondering if you'd help me, you know, with some direction and training, like you used to?"

"I thought we agreed you weren't my student anymore," Ed replied, thinking of the argument they'd had right before Tore left. "So no, I don't think it's a good idea."

Tore looked momentarily disappointed then he sighed and shrugged. "That's what I thought you'd say. Well, can't blame me for asking."

"And I don't," Ed assured him. "I just think that given what you're trying to do, it's a bad idea. You're welcome to your room, the food in the fridge… your _cat_. I still think of you like family, but you're no longer my student."

Tore looked at him for another moment, then nodded. "That's fair. Thanks… for letting me come home."

Ed smiled. "No problem. It's good to have you back."

**October 25****th****, 1961**

Tore could hardly believe the turnout waiting for him and Fullmetal when they got off the train in Central in the early afternoon. Mrs. Elric, Ethan, and Lia were all waiting for him. Alphonse and Elicia were there too.

"Thank goodness you're safe," Mrs. Elric caught him up in a huge hug that Tore wasn't entirely sure how to take other than to reciprocate. It was the warmest, most tender thing he had felt in a long time. Suddenly, he felt like he was home.

"It's good to see you," Tore replied honestly. He really wasn't sure what to say to everyone. _I'm sorry_, no matter how he phrased it, did not feel adequate. He felt another twinge of guilt as Ethan insisted on giving him a hug too. He had always felt close to Ethan, but to see him sitting in a wheelchair made him hurt inside stronger than he had expected. Even though Ed had told him that Ethan didn't need it all the time anymore, Ethan looked weaker than Tore remembered and older somehow.

He got hugged by Miss Elicia, and by True Soul, and even Lia by the time they got in the car and headed back to the Elrics' house. There, Daia and Pir greeting him enthusiastically at the door. Tore was surprised at how emotional he felt as he hugged and petted them. _Home_; it felt odd after so many months away, but this was the closest thing he'd had to a home for the longest time, and it felt good.

"Where's everyone else?" Tore asked once he had stowed his things in his room – which looked far too clean and well taken care of – and convinced Rapscallion to come out from under the dresser and say hello. He got bitten for that, but it was no more than he deserved.

"Not everyone could get off work early," Mrs. Elric smiled as she served them all a slightly late lunch. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll see everyone this evening."

"Great," he smiled hesitantly. "Umm…would it be all right if I went and talked to someone this afternoon?" After his last disappearing act, he wouldn't have been surprised to get a flat no.

There was a knowing look in Edward's eyes. "If you're not back in an hour of leaving, or I don't get a call from Breda himself saying you've been invited to stay for tea, I'll be coming after you."

"Right," Tore nodded, relieved. "I can do that!" He was absolutely certain, however, that General Breda would not be inviting him to stay. Of course, if he left soon, school would be out but the General wouldn't be home yet. That definitely seemed like the best option.

As soon as lunch was over, Tore hurried over to the Bredas' house. He had practiced his apologies to Charisa in his head a million ways over the past few months. He'd been gone almost half a year. The scenarios in his head had ranged from her throwing herself at him and kissing him passionately to the General shooting at him and chasing him off his doorstep. Tore expected reality would be somewhere in between.

As he approached, he saw a guy getting into a sporty looking little black car and driving off. Who was that? The guy looked familiar, but then most of the boys in their school did. _She wouldn't!_ Tore stood on the porch for over five minutes just trying to be brave enough to ring the doorbell.

As luck would have it, Charisa answered the door. Her expression was one of momentary amazement, stunned, and then it shifted to something neutral and masked that he couldn't read. "You're home."

Tore nodded, feeling suddenly awkward. "Yeah. Hi."

"You've missed a lot of school you know."

"Yeah, I know."

Charisa's expression shifted towards cool. "I suppose you'll want me to help you catch up."

Great, she had to start there. Tore sighed. "Actually, I'm not going back."

Charisa gave him a sharp look. "What do you mean?"

He really hoped she agreed with his idea as much as Fullmetal did. "I'm not. I'm going to study and take the State Alchemy Exam." He had thought she'd be pleased, but he was mistaken.

"Good for you." Her expression had gone once more utterly unreadable, but Tore was sure she was irritated.

She hadn't even invited him in. Tore stood there on the porch trying to think of what to say next. "So…who was the guy?"

Irritation was no longer in question. "You know him. It's Jake."

The face clicked in his mind immediately. "You're going out with _Jake Tarlton_?" Jake was the captain of the baseball team, a track runner, and a straight-A student on top of that. He was also in the year ahead of them.

"What business is it of yours who I date?" Charisa asked.

_Best friend, former girl friend, love of my… None. Right._ Tore sighed. "Okay, look, I'm sorry I left. I just figured…"

"What?" She cut him off. "That I'd sit here and wait for you? My _best friend_ ran off and left, _against_ my plainly stated point that it was a bad idea. You completely disregarded my feelings! Then you didn't write, didn't call. You could have been dead for all I knew. If nothing else, you made it very clear that what you care about most is yourself."

Her ferocity should not have been a surprise, but it was. "I asked you to come with me!" He pointed it out angrily. He had!

Charisa shook her head, her hands resting on her hips. "Because _you_ wanted it. Did you really think I would be willing to leave everything and everyone I love just to run around the countryside like a _vagabond_?"

Tore froze. _Everything and everyone… _"So I don't fall into that category." No words had ever hurt so much.

"You're doing it now," she gestured with one hand as if he had made her point. "You were selfish and you hurt a lot of people. I never thought you'd do that."

"So there goes my hope you'll get back together with me?" He meant it as a joke, a little.

She stared at him for several seconds, stretching out to near a minute before her temper seemed to subside at all. "I'm not sure we can be friends anymore," Charisa admitted uneasily. "I don't feel like I know you anymore… or that I can trust you."

"Fair enough." He shrugged, but he felt like his heart was breaking inside. This was all his fault. "Hurting you was the last thing I wanted, 'Risa."

"Don't call me that," she replied, worrying her lip in her teeth; a sign she was unsettled and upset. It took a lot to ruffle her normally. "You don't have the right."

"All right," Tore agreed. What else could he do? "I'm sorry, Charisa. I know I screwed up, and I probably can't make this up to you. I just… I had to tell you that. You… were right, about a lot of things. So was I. I know what I want to do with my life; my purpose. I… I'm just sorry that you're what it cost me." His throat closed then, and he stopped talking. He hadn't realized how difficult this was going to be emotionally. Or maybe he had, but didn't want to admit it. He couldn't take it anymore. He turned and started back down the stairs.

"Tore!"

He stopped dead when she called his name, and turned back, not daring to feel hope. "Yeah?"

Charisa stood there in the doorway, looking down at him with a pained, sympathetic, but still injured expression. "I… good luck."

That was it? Tore nodded, and smiled even though he didn't entirely feel it. "Thanks. I'm going to do this. I'm going to pass that exam and become a State Alchemist, and I'll do what I set out to do. You'll see."

She smiled back, though just as weakly. "I hope so."

There seemed to be nothing more to say for the moment. Tore turned and continued walking down the drive. When he paused at the end and turned back, the door was closed. If Charisa was watching from behind the curtains, he couldn't tell. _That's it then. She doesn't hate me, but I don't think we're friends anymore. _He didn't know if they ever would be again, but he hoped so. He would certainly do everything he could to win her trust back.

Maybe, someday, he could get back more. For now though, he was going to do what he promised.

* * *

**Author's note: **Another story finished, but certainly not the end! Tore has a goal to meet. Will he manage it? Ethan is healing up. Lia's planning a wedding. Plenty more to come in the lives of the Elrics!


End file.
